“Elephant whisperer” Marianus Topno, 48

(Free Kaavan the Elephant Facebook photo)

Marianus Topno,  48,  a factory welder in rural Odisha state,  India,  was fatally trampled by elephants on November 13,  2013 in the Saranda forest.  Topno had become known for politely asking elephants to leave villages and farms where they were doing damage,  with frequent success.  His daughter Nirmala,  17,  of Pograposh village,  had become renowned as the “elephant girl,”  using her father’s method,  but after his death gave up guiding elephants back into safe habitat,  to focus on her studies as a science major at Nirmal Munda College in Bhalulata.

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