At Theppakadu Elephant Camp in Tamil Nadu’s Mudumalai Tiger Reserve, the day begins with a meal prepared by hand for some of the forest’s largest residents.

Mahouts mix ragi, rice, jaggery, coconut, salt, and mineral supplements into large balls of food. They choose the ingredients to give the elephants energy and nutrients before they head out into the forest.

Theppakadu is among India’s oldest elephant camps. Established in 1910 on the banks of the Moyar River, the camp has been closely associated with elephant care and forest management for more than a century.

What goes into an elephant’s breakfast

The morning meal is part of the elephants’ supplementary diet. They also spend time in the forest feeding on grasses, leaves, branches, and other available vegetation.

A study on the management........

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