Kaziranga’s iconic patrol elephant Joymala dies at 66, given guard of honour
Joymala, one of Kaziranga National Park’s most renowned patrol elephants, died on Saturday night at the age of 66. The elephant was given a guard of honour by Forest Department personnel on Sunday before being laid to rest in the park.
Joymala served as a patrol elephant for 34 years, participating in anti-poaching operations, wildlife rescue missions, and regular forest protection duties. Her most famous encounter occurred in 2004 when she was part of a team tracking a tigress that had killed cattle near the park boundary. The tigress leapt at Joymala’s head while the elephant was carrying several forest officials. The elephant stepped back, avoiding a direct attack, and later attempted to pin the tigress with her foot. The tigress escaped in the commotion, but the mahout, Satyaban Pegu, lost three fingers in the incident. A video recorded by the then divisional forest officer, R K Das, captured the encounter and later gained wide attention.
After the incident, Joymala continued her patrol work for over 15 years under a new mahout, Nilakhanta Koch. She retired from active duty after turning 60 but remained at the camp, where she was described as a motherly figure to younger calves. At least three of her own calves are currently serving as patrol elephants in the park.
According to a statement from the park, Joymala had been treated for illness for nearly a year before her death in the Naloni area of the Agoratoli Range. The current Divisional Forest Officer, Arun Vignesh, said, “The elephants are not engaged in active duties after they cross 60 years of age, but she was in the camp post-retirement and was a motherly figure for younger calves.”
The park’s statement added, “Joymala’s life is a reminder that the story of Kaziranga’s conservation success is written not only by its dedicated forest staff but also by its patrol elephants. These gentle giants are the voiceless warriors of Kaziranga, standing steadfast beside the foot soldiers of the forest through floods, difficult terrain, and countless conservation challenges.”
Joymala’s death marks the end of an era for Kaziranga, where patrol elephants have played a crucial role in protecting the park’s wildlife, especially the one-horned rhinoceros and Bengal tiger. Her service highlights the interdependence between humans and elephants in conservation efforts.
