Tourists flock to TN elephant camp after 'The Elephant Whisperers' wins Oscar

A large number of tourists keen to see the elephants 'Reghu' and 'Ammu', who became famous after the short documentary film 'The Elephant Whisperers' won the Oscar awards, are flocking to Theppakadu Elephant Camp in Tamil Nadu.

The film directed by Kirtika Gonsalves depicts life around two Kattunayakan tribe members and couple, Bomman and Bellie, who nurture and bring up elephant calves that were orphaned.

Sukumaran Nair from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala is visiting the Theppakadu Elephant Camp for the first time. The retired engineer from Kerala State Water Works department while speaking to IANS said, "This is the first time I am paying a visit to the Theppakadu Elephant camp. The only idea is to meet the elephants Reghu and Ammu and if possible have a chat with Bomman and Bellie."

He and his wife Indira Devi are both retired and left for Thiruvananthapuram in a cab to reach Theppekadu by Monday evening. He said that he will have a chat with both Bomman and Bellie even though Bomman is away in Salem to bring an injured elephant.

The retired engineer, however, said that he would stay back at Theppakadu for a couple of days more and try to understand the life of elephants and mahouts.

Umesh Singh is another tourist who reached Theppakadu on Tuesday morning. While speaking to IANS he said that he was a native of New Delhi but for the past two weeks was in South India as a tourist and on hearing the news about 'Elephant Whisperers' winning the Oscars, he left for Theppakadu camp to have a glimpse of the elephants, Reghu and Ammu.

While speaking to IANS, Umesh Singh said, "I reached the elephant sanctuary today morning. It's amazing and I want to meet both Bomman and Bellie. I don't know whether it is possible but I will stay here till evening and meet them as well as the elephants."

Theppakadu Elephant camp officials told IANS that a few foreign tourists are also there at the camp who wanted to meet the elephants as well as the mahouts.

It is to be noted that the Theppakadu Elephant camp is the oldest in Asia and was established in 1917. The camp currently has 28 elephants who were captured while they were wild tuskers creating problems for humans and these elephants are tamed at this camp and converted to 'Kumki' elephants.