Chennai
On a day he announced the new count of tigers in the country – the big cat numbers grew by 200 between 2018-2022 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent much time amidst elephants and their caretakers, including Bomman and Bellie, at the Theppakadu Elephant Camp at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
Earlier, Modi visited the Bandipur Tiger Reserve in neighbouring Karnataka and announced the tiger count. The success of Project Tiger is a matter of pride not only for India but for the whole world, the Prime Minister said. , Project Tiger was launched in 1973 to save the big cat from going extinct in the country.
The pictures and videos of the Prime Minister meeting and interacting videos with Bomman and Bellie and at the Bandipur Tiger Reserve with a hat, sunglasses, ranger suit and a camera have since gone viral on social media.
“What a delight to meet the wonderful Bomman and Belli, along with Bommi and Raghu,” the PM tweeted later.
While Bomman and Bellie met Prime Minister Modi today, the Director of the Oscar-winning documentary Kartiki Gonsalves and producer Guneet Monga had met PM Modi last month shortly after winning the Oscar.
Modi is also seen standing beside the elephants, gently caressing the gentle giants Bommi and Raghu with affection. He is also seend feeding sugarcane to the pachyderms.
He also posted other images shared with the note, “With the majestic elephants at the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.”