Guwahati, July 5 -- Joymala, one of Kaziranga National Park's most iconic patrol elephants, has died after more than three decades of service in wildlife conservation, officials said on Sunday.
The 66-year-old elephant died on Saturday night in Naloni area within the park's Agoratoli Range following prolonged illness.
Born in 1960, Joymala was inducted into Kaziranga National Park (KNP) in 1992 and served for 34 years, participating in anti-poaching patrols, wildlife monitoring, rescue operations and routine forest protection duties. Her courage drew international attention in 2004, when a stray tiger leapt over her during a patrol. The moment, captured in a widely circulated photograph, came to symbolise the bravery of Kaziranga's patrol elephants and their mahouts.
Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah led tributes to Joymala, describing her as one of Kaziranga's "finest jungle warriors" and a symbol of the silent sacrifices made by patrol elephants who work alongside frontline forest staff to protect the park's globally celebrated biodiversity.
"Joymala was far more than a patrol elephant. She was a trusted companion of generations of forest guards and mahouts who dedicated their lives to protecting Kaziranga. Her service and sacrifice will always remain a source of inspiration for everyone associated with wildlife conservation," Baruah said.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.