Love elephants? This online resource will help you learn more about them

A family of elephants at Mudumalai. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons

At the recently concluded Academy Awards, The Elephant Whisperers directed by debutant Kartiki Gonsalves and produced by Guneet Monga won big in the Best Documentary Short Film category. The honest and heartfelt tribute to Bomman and Bellie who rescued and adopted Raghu the elephant in the Mudumalai forests of Tamil Nadu, got the nod from Hollywood's top jury. While the documentary is bound to shine a light on these silent caretakers of India's jungles and thereby, offer fresh perspective to man-animal relationships, the reality is that the country still has a long way to go as far as
the elephant's protection is concerned.

In this regard, Treehugger, a site that focuses on sustainability and the environment, has gone to great lengths to highlight the current status as well as the challenges that face this beloved pachyderm from an Indian context. With accurately sourced stats and figures, they spell out the reasons for the hurdles that it faces in the present and what lies ahead. For example the platform reveals that elephants have faced a 70% decline in the past six decades, and with ominous clouds of climate change hovering over the planet, scientists predict that the Indian elephant could stand to lose over 40% of its habitat by 2070. Such data is corroborated by tags that lead the user to a detailed study conducted by an expert. We like how the focus stays on the elephant and its future throughout this segment of the site.

While we feel the site is targeted largely at a Western audience, its simple, clean format and easy-flowing language will be a useful ready reckoner for the curious who are keen to start from the beginning. Plus, there are handy links and resources to stay updated and also, do your bit to save the elephant. Not a bad way to begin your love affair with the haathi brigade.

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