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THEPPAKADU ELEPHANT CAMP

18th March, 2023 Environment

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Context: India’s Oscar-winning documentary Elephant Whisperers shot at Theppakadu camp, oldest in Asia.

Details:

About the camp:

  • The Oscar-winning short documentary 'The Elephant Whisperers' was shot in the Theppakadu Elephant Camp at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve in the Nilgiri Mountains in Tamil Nadu.
  • The 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.
  • The Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, of which the Theppekadu Elephant camp is a part, has a good population of the indigenous Kattunaykan tribes.
  • The Theppakadu Elephant Camp rehabilitates rogue elephants that enter human habitations and enter into conflict with people. These elephants are given proper training at these camps and converted to Kumki elephants.

About the park:

  • Mudumalai National Park is a national park in the Nilgiri Mountains in Tamil Nadu, south India.
  • It covers 321 km2 in the Nilgiri District and shares boundaries with the states of Karnataka and Kerala.
  • A part of this area has been protected since 1940.
  • The national park has been part of Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve since 1986 and was declared a tiger reserve in 2007.
  • It is drained by the Moyar River and several tributaries, which harbour 38 fish species.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Which of the following statements is/are correct with reference to Mudumalai Tiger Reserve?

a. It is a national park in the Nilgiri Mountains in Kerala.

b. It is drained by the Moyar River

 I. Only a

II. Only b

III. Both a and b

IV. Neither a nor b

Answer: Option II

https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/india-s-oscar-winning-docu-elephant-whisperers-shot-theppakadu-camp-oldest-asia-174476