- The Movie Elephant Whisperers tells the story of a couple (Bomman & Bellie) who adopts two orphan elephant babies and rears them. The mother of the elephant babies died after being electrocuted.
- The couple live in the Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai Tiger Reserve and National Park.
- Theppakadu Elephant Camp in Mudumalai Tiger Reserve is the oldest elephant camp in Asia and was established 105 years back.
- Situated on the banks of river Moyar, it presently has 28 elephants. A dedicated bunch of Mahouts is providing training and care to these elephants.
- Both Bomman and Bellie come from Kattunayakan tribe, the traditional forest dwellers of Mudumalai forests.
About Kattunayakan Tribe
- Kattunayakan tribe also known as Jennu Kurumbas are scheduled tribes found in south Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala & Andhra Pradesh.
- Kattunayakan means king of jungles in Tamil and Malayalam.
- They are considered to be one of the earliest inhabitants of Western Ghats and are engaged in the collection and gathering of forest produce, mainly wild honey and wax.
- They are classified as Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups in Tamil Nadu & Kerala.
About Mudumalai Tiger Reserve
- Mudumalai National Park is a national park and tiger reserve located in Nilgiri Mountains in Tamil Nadu. This national park is part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.
- Moyar river passes through this national park.
- The Reserve has tall grasses, commonly referred to as “Elephant Grass”, Bamboo of the giant variety, valuable timber species like Teak, Rosewood, etc,.
- There are several species of endemic flora. Such a varied habitat is inhabited by a variety of animals which include Tiger, Elephant, Indian Gaur, Panther, Sambar, Spotted Deer, Barking Deer, Mouse Deer, Common Langur, Malabar Giant Squirrel, Wild Dog, Mangoose, Jungle Cat, Hyena, among others.
