Kaziranga’s Oldest Elephant Mohanmala Breathes Her Last at 85

Kaziranga has lost one of its most enduring sentinels. Mohanmala, the oldest departmental elephant of Kaziranga National Park, breathed her last on Thursday, succumbing to age-related complications at the remarkable age of over 85.

The majestic matriarch’s story is intertwined with the park’s own modern history. On May 17, 1970, a forest officer entrusted Mohanmala to Kaziranga for anti-poaching and security duties. For the next three decades, she served with unwavering dedication, patrolling the park’s grasslands and forests, often placing herself in danger during operations against armed poachers.

Her courage in the line of duty became the stuff of departmental lore — a silent but powerful force safeguarding Kaziranga’s precious rhinos and wildlife.

As per Forest Department regulations, Mohanmala retired at the age of 60, after which she spent her twilight years in the warmth and care of park staff who regarded her as family. In December last year, she fell ill and was treated by specialist veterinarians, but the ailments of old age eventually claimed her.

On Thursday, the Forest Department bid her farewell with full departmental honours — a gesture befitting a lifelong guardian of Kaziranga. Her death has cast a pall of grief over park officials, staff, and the residents of Kaziranga who grew up seeing her as a living symbol of the park’s resilience.

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