LONDON, Feb. 28 (Xinhua) -- Thirty life-size statues of dinosaurs and other extinct animals at London's Crystal Palace Park that have thrilled visitors for 166 years were designated Friday as cultural icons at risk.
Historic England, a government-sponsored public body tasked with protecting the historic environment of England, placed the works, which are already Grade II listed statues, on its Heritage at Risk Register.
The official cultural agency said large cracks are inflicting the bodies and limbs of some of the dinosaurs, and they're in danger of losing toes, teeth and tails.
"The cause of the deterioration is not yet understood, but ground movement on the artificial islands which are home to the monsters and changing water levels in the surrounding lakes, is suspected," it said.
By adding the much-loved sculptures to its at risk register, Historic England is raising awareness of their plight and is focusing attention on their repair and conservation.
The impressive sculptures are the creation of Benjamin Waterhouse Hawkins, one of the best natural history artists of the Victorian era.
At the time of their construction in the 1850s, the strange creatures would have been an extraordinary sight. The term dinosaur had only been coined 10 years previously.
"They represent the cutting edge of scientific knowledge at the time, even though they are now deemed to be inaccurate by current understanding. They help tell the story of how science advances, and interpretation improves, with better data, analysis and research," said Historic England.
The animals are arranged in chronological order, from the oldest land animals known from fossils found by the Victorians, such as the Dicynodons to the most recent species, the extinct Ice Age mammals, such as Giant Deer and giant Ground Sloth.
They are located on three islands and in lakes in the south section of the park, indicating the lost landscapes the creatures might have roamed when they were alive.
A new project is planned to build a bridge to the islands to give access for up-close visits.
"These wonderful creatures are in a state of disrepair and require significant conservation works. We don't want them to become extinct again," said Duncan Wilson, CEO of Historic England.
