Meet Anarkali-Salim, the jumbo love story in MP's Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
India Today
A new love story appears to be blooming between two elephants, Salim and Anarkali, this time in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh.
A unique love story of two elephants, Salim and Anarkali, in Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) is blooming in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh. The love story started when Salim, a wild elephant, met Anarkali, a female captive elephant, in the reserve.
Anarkali eloped with Salim twice and both the times, the officials tracked her and brought her back to the BTR.
BTR sub-divisional officer (SDO) Sudhir Mishra said, "Usually wild elephants don't accept captive elephants. Sometimes, wild male elephants force female elephants to go with them. Anarkali has two children. She was taken by two elephants and was rescued two days later. If the female elephants don't agree to go with them, there are chances that tuskers may hurt them."
"As far as the love story of Salim and Anarkali is concerned, the breeding between captive and wild elephants is good as it widens the gene pool," a wildlife expert told India Today.
According to officials, Anarkali, who was brought to the reserve in 1978 from Bihar’s famous Sonepur Elephant Fair, is well-trained at patrolling and is one of the most trusted elephants. She has been involved in many campaigns and rescue operations in the BTR. 50-odd wild elephants made BTR their home in 2018 and at present, a total of 14 elephants, including male and female pachyderms, are in the reserve used for patrolling and rescue operations.
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