Guruvayoor Temple elephant sanctuary attracting tourists in huge numbers

An elephant sanctuary in the compound of the famous Guruvayoor Temple in Kerala is fast becoming a tourist hot-spot.

Hundred of tourists, mainly Hindu devotees, who visit the shrine to offer prayers, make it a point not to miss the chance to see elephants in their natural environment.

The elephant sanctuary at Punnathur Kotta, three kilometres away from Shri Krishna Temple, Guruvayoor, is one of the largest elephant sanctuaries in India with more than 62 trained tuskers in one campus.

"It's been great so far. So many elephants in one place is very difficult to see. Its been amazing," said Raghu, a tourist.

Experts have repeatedly opined that massive deforestation, poaching and encroachment in forest corridors have forced elephants to move out of their natural habitats in search of food and water.

India has over 50 percent of the world's Asiatic elephant population. But their number has dwindled in recent years.