One of Kaziranga National Park’s most iconic patrol elephants, 66-year-old Joymala, died on Saturday night and was laid to rest on Sunday with a guard of honour by Forest Department personnel in Kaziranga.
Stories about Joymala’s 30 years of service as a patrol elephant are well known in the region, with one of the most famous incidents coming around 22 years ago.
Today, Kaziranga bows its head in tribute to one of its bravest guardians.
Joymala was more than a patrol elephant, she was a silent protector who spent 34 years safeguarding the home of the tiger. From anti-poaching patrols to wildlife rescue operations, she stood beside our… pic.twitter.com/X7c0OKbL7h
— Jayanta Mallabaruah (@jayanta_malla) July 5, 2026
In 2004, Joymala and its then 25-year-old mahout Satyaban Pegu were part of a team from the Assam Forest Department on the lookout for a large tigress that had killed cattle in a village close to the boundary of the national park.
In a series of events well recorded and remembered among those who work in wildlife, the tigress at one point leapt towards Joymala’s head while the elephant was carrying the range officer, a veterinarian, and a guard on its back, along with its mahout. A record of the incident by the Wildlife Trust of India says the tigress swiped at Pegu, the mahout, injuring him, and did not land on Joymala, who stepped back.
Photo from the 2004 incident. (Special Arrangement)
It says that as the tigress landed on the ground, Joymala tried to pin it down with a foot, and the tigress struggled loose and ran away in the ensuing commotion.
A video of the incident, which was taken by the then divisional forest officer, R K Das, who was riding on another elephant just behind them, went on to be widely viewed.
Pegu, however, lost three of his fingers in the incident, bringing an end to his time as a mahout. However, Joymala continued as a patrol elephant for over 15 years after that, under the care of another mahout, Nilakhanta Koch, participating in anti-poaching patrols, wildlife monitoring, rescue operations, and routine forest protection duties.
‘Motherly figure’
“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. At least three of her own calves are currently patrol elephants in the national park,” said current DFO Arun Vignesh.
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According to a statement by the national park, the elephant died on Saturday night at the Naloni area under Agoratoli Range of the national park, after being treated for illness for nearly a year.
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“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,” the statement said.
