Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Theppakkadu elephant camp at Mudumalai in the hilly Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, where he interacted with Bellie and Bomman, the elephant caretakers who were featured in an Oscar-winning documentary.
The PM, who reached Mysuru in Karnataka on Saturday evening from Chennai following official engagements there, visited the tiger sanctuary briefly today. Upon his arrival, the PM was accorded a welcome by the pachyderms, and he fed sugarcane to some of the elephants in the Theppakkadu camp at the tiger reserve. Later on, he interacted with Bellie and Bomman, who have won accolades after they featured in the Academy Award-winning documentary, “The Elephant Whisperers.”
The visit of the Prime Minister to the elephant camp is significant as it highlights the need to promote and conserve India’s rich wildlife heritage. Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary is a crucial wildlife conservation area in South India. The park is home to several endangered species, including the Indian elephant, Bengal tiger, and Indian leopard.
Bellie and Bomman are a couple who have dedicated their lives to the care and protection of elephants. They have been working at the Theppakkadu elephant camp for over 25 years and have a deep understanding of the behavior and needs of elephants.
During his visit, the Prime Minister interacted with Bellie and Bomman and learned about their experiences and work at the elephant camp. He also fed sugarcane to some of the elephants and observed the animals from a close distance.
