It was a wonderful moment shared by people all across the globe when the short Netflix documentary "The Elephant Whisperers" recently became the Oscar winner. The elephant calf which was cared for by The Elephant Whisperers died in Tamil Nadu.On March 31, 2023, Bomman and Bellie lost their "baby elephant" at the Theppakadu elephant camp in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.

The four-month-old elephant calf passed away from difficulties brought on by its inability to digest lactogen and the trauma of being separated from its herd. The calf was discovered on March 9 in a well near Dharmapuri. The calf was cared for there for a week by Bomman and forest veterinarians. They tried to return the calf to its herd, but in vain. Bomman and Bellie were assigned to care for the calf.

A preliminary autopsy report said that the compromised digestive ability of the calf caused due to separation from its herd, a new environment and artificial milk led to the death. Veterinarians also found that there were signs of pneumonia in the lungs. Samples of the vital parts of the carcass were collected for lab tests. Later, Bomman and the forest performed rituals before burning the carcass inside the forest area.