King Charles Recognizes ‘Elephant Whisperers’ Director Kartiki, Indian Conservationists

LONDON, (IANS) – King Charles III and Queen Camilla presented the Mark Shand Award and the Tara Award at the 2023 Animal Ball in London.

Kartiki Gonsalves, the director of ‘The Elephant Whisperers,’ and the Tamil Nadu-based The Real Elephant Collective (TREC) were honored for their contributions to human-wildlife coexistence. The Tara Award, inspired by the bond between elephants and humans, recognized Gonsalves for her achievements in storytelling and advocacy for coexistence.

Her documentary, ‘The Elephant Whisperers,’ explores the connection between humans and elephants through the heartwarming story of an orphaned elephant and an indigenous couple in Tamil Nadu.

The Mark Shand Award went to The Real Elephant Collective (TREC), a community of Adivasi artists and wildlife conservationists. TREC collaborates with indigenous communities to create sculptural representations of wild elephants using the invasive weed Lantana camara. These sculptures provide livelihood opportunities for indigenous communities while removing harmful weeds from protected areas.

TREC’s efforts have fostered understanding and coexistence between people and wildlife, benefiting both the environment and the communities.

The Animal Ball, presented by Elephant Family and Tintra Foundation, is a creative tribute to the Animal Kingdom.