‘Mohanmala’ oldest and last matriarch at Kaziranga National Park dies

Guwahati, Aug 14 Assam’s Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve was overwhelmed by grief when one of its oldest members, 'Mohanmala', passed away on Thursday.

The majestic Mohanmala, estimated to be 70 or 80 years old, was the oldest elephant and the last matriarch at the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve, officials said.

KNPTR Director Sonali Ghosh said that a ‘Shraddhanjali' sabha was held at Mihimukh in the central range of the park, and last rites were performed by the officials.

Ghosh said the KNPTR authorities expressed deep sorrow at the passing of one of its most iconic and beloved departmental elephants, ‘Mohanmala’ of Kohora Range.

According to the KNPTR Director, Mohanmala was brought to Kaziranga on May 17, 1970, procured from Kamrup during the tenure of the then Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) Durga Prasad Neog. Over the past five decades, she served the park with exceptional dedication, becoming an inseparable part of Kaziranga’s conservation history.

“Known for her fearlessness, obedience, and docile temperament, Mohanmala was an excellent swimmer and a dependable companion during the challenging flood seasons. At times when even forest frontline staff could not reach their camps by boat or go about their patrolling duties, it was Mohanmala who carried them on her back, ensuring critical duties were never disrupted,” she said.

Ghosh said that Mohanmala served across different ranges of Kaziranga and played an active role in anti-poaching operations, fearlessly aiding the staff in the most difficult terrains and situations.

She gave birth to two female calves - 'Malati', who sadly passed away at the young age of 17 years, and another calf that tragically died just three days after birth, having fallen prey to a tiger, the senior Indian Forest Service (IFS) officer said.

Mohanmala retired from active departmental duties in 2003.

One memorable account, shared by her head mahout, Kiran Rabha, stands as a lasting testament to Mohanmala’s bravery and her instinct to protect those she trusted.

“On an early winter morning, while on patrol near the wetland known as Mihibeel, Rabha was mounted on Mohanmala, accompanied by her calf Malati. The stillness of the morning was suddenly shattered when a wild bull elephant emerged and charged aggressively towards them. The enraged bull closed the distance rapidly, trumpeting. In a display of raw power, it uprooted a large tree and flung it aside. In that split second of danger, Mohanmala, sensing the imminent threat to her mahout and calf, made a decisive move. Without hesitation, she turned towards the deep waters of Mihibeel, waters she knew well from her flood-time journeys and plunged in, urging Malati to follow,” the KNPTR Director recounted.

The official added with powerful strokes, she ferried Rabha across the wetland, putting a safe distance between them and the charging bull. Only once she reached the far bank and ensured her mahout was safe did she vanish into the surrounding forest with her calf. For weeks, her whereabouts were unknown. Then, one day, Mohanmala returned to her camp along with Malati, calm and unharmed, possibly after about a month, marking a poignant reminder of their survival, resilience, and the unspoken bond between elephant and human, the park official said.

Ghosh said that with her passing, Kaziranga National Park has lost not just a working member, but a trusted colleague, a flood-time saviour, and a symbol of loyalty and courage.

Her decades of service would remain etched in the park’s history, and her absence would be deeply felt by all who worked alongside her, the KNPTR Director pointed out.

The KNPTR, India’s seventh UNESCO World Heritage site, comprises three forest divisions -- the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division, Bokakhat; the Bishwanath Wildlife Division, Biswanath Chariali; and the Nagaon Wildlife Division, Nagaon.

Home to a remarkable population of the "Big Five", it comprises 2,613 Greater One-horned Rhinoceroses as of the 2022 census, 104 Bengal Tigers ( as of 2022), 1,228 Asian Elephants in 2024, 2,565 Wild Water Buffaloes in 2022, and 1,129 Eastern Swamp Deer also recorded in 2022.

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