Indian President Holds Heartwarming Meet & Greet With Elephants

The giant jumbos at Kaziranga National Park in India's Assam state got lucky as they were greeted by Indian President Droupadi Murmu during the inauguration of the 'Gaj Utsav 2023' on Friday to mark the 30th anniversary of Project Elephant.

The adorable pictures of the animals lined up to take bananas from the hands of the president have gone viral on the internet.

Describing these animals as a symbol of India's prosperity and a national heritage, President Murmu said that it is the nation's responsibility to protect elephants, who are like humans and considered to be very intelligent and sensitive.

"Elephants have been most respected in our [Indian] tradition... We should have the same sense of sympathy and respect for elephants and other living beings as we have for humans. We can learn the feeling of selfless love from animals and birds," the president said.

The president also pointed out that the Kaziranga and Manas National Parks of Assam are an invaluable legacy not only for India but for the entire world when it comes to wildlife conservation, this is why UNESCO has granted them the status of ‘World Heritage Sites’.

However, due to the rise in human-elephant conflict, President Murmu said, “It has been an issue for centuries and when we analyze this conflict, it is found that a barrier created in the natural habitat or movement of elephants is the root cause. Therefore, the responsibility of solving this conflict lies with human society."

In 1992, the Government of India introduced 'Project Elephant' to ensure the long-term survival of the animals' population in their natural habitats.