The Elephant Whisperers

About all the keyboard eco-warriors furiously pounding out their reviews in righteous indignation at the alleged mistreatment of these elephants. I can almost hear the blood of these armchair conservationists boil as they watch this documentary through their privileged first world lens. "I am a sponsor of an elephant trust", one declares, while another bleats, "I do not care about your (Tamil) cultural reasoning!", most likely from the safety and comfort of their modern abodes, and on devices like MacBooks that probably cost more than the annual salary of the caretakers in the documentary. In doing so, they expose their lack of any cultural sensitivity and indeed any true sense of sacrifice or worldliness. Elephants are as revered as cows in India, because of a god, Lord Ganesha, who is part elephant. This does not mean that elephants are not used as a means of transportation like horses. It simply means that they are bestowed more respect than most animals. The elephants left behind or cast out of their tribe would very likely perish if not for human intervention. The impoverished caretakers find meaning and purpose in their lives through looking after these elephant cubs, just as the e-conservationists do so by aligning with values of animal welfare and ethical treatment without ever risking being eaten by a tiger or stabbed by an elephant. My only complaint is that the documentary was not nearly long enough.

Such a beautiful story about elephant caretakers. Raghu is assigned to a couple as he lost his mother in an accident. Although paid, the couple takes immense care of the baby elephant and successfully raises them. The interaction between the couple and the elephant looks similar to a tiny baby and the parents. A true reflection of love is seen both ways. The movie will shed light on the importance of tribal and village culture in India as these people are the genuine caretakers of nature and animals, unlike urban dwellers like us, who have already lost touch with the environment. The movie has an important message that humans and animals still need each other and can survive in harmony.

I love elephants, but that is not always enough. As others have said this is more about people, not elephants. Yes, there is an orphaned aspect to the story line. But is there a true rehabilitation, attempt and reintroduction back into the wild? There is so much more that could be said, but you can easily explore and educate yourself on what's out there if you wanted to take the time. I would recommend taking a look at Echo: Echo, the elephant matriarch, was the subject of many films and the leader of a carefully studies herd of elephants in Africa. This film is a look back at this remarkable animal through extraordinary footage and interviews with the researchers that cared for and studied this amazing herd. While it definitely shows the beautiful bonds and relationships between humans and elephants, it is at it's core about the elephants.

Incredibly moving documentary about a couple in Southern India who foster orphaned elephants. The film does a phenomenal job of providing environmental, societal, and historical context to a heartwarming story. The elephants are undoubtedly the stars of the film - their mischief, gentle nature, and unconditional affection display a human child-like character that only makes you smile. Where the viewer is truly lucky is that the couple is able to translate exactly what the elephant is thinking, doing, or feeling in a way that a parent can for a child. The best thing about this short documentary is that it has something for everyone. A must watch.

How can this docu win an Oscar? You see the animals in chains the whole time. And the 'caretakers' walking around with sticks and the 'ritual' where the elephants bow a bit and trumpeting all together. So unnatural... pure cultural reasoning, very sad. A place is a good sanctuary where elephants are walking freely in their own habitat and people watching them from a distance. They don't ride on elephants, they don't touch them nor paint them or put flowers on them. Truly don't understand why this docu can win an Oscar. We have still a lot to learn about taking care for these beautiful creatures. This is not the way. Very sad.