Kaziranga National Park bids misty-eyed farewell to Joymala, accords her guard of honour

KAZIRANGA: Kaziranga National Park (KNP) bid farewell to Joymala with misty eyes and accorded her a ceremonial ‘Guard of Honour’ during her last rites on Saturday. 

Born in 1960, Joymala was engaged by Kaziranga National Park in 1992, and since then she had been serving the protected area for 34 years. Throughout her life, she participated in anti-poaching patrols, wildlife monitoring, rescue operations and routine forest protection duties, becoming an inseparable part of Kaziranga’s conservation efforts. Paying tribute to Joymala, Assam Forest Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah recalled her as one of KNP’s ‘finest jungle warriors,’ whose life symbolised the silent sacrifices made by patrol elephants that work alongside frontline forest staff in protecting the park’s globally renowned biodiversity. The minister recalled the unforgettable incident in 2004 when a stray tiger dramatically leapt over Joymala while she was on patrol. The rare moment, captured on camera, drew international attention and became one of the most iconic photographs associated with Kaziranga, highlighting the courage and composure of the park’s patrol elephants and their mahouts.

Joymala was cared for by veteran mahout Satyaban Pegu for several years before her responsibility was later entrusted to mahout Nilakhanta Koch, who continued to look after her with deep affection. Despite receiving continuous veterinary treatment for nearly a year due to prolonged illness, Joymala passed away on Saturday night at the Naloni area under the Agoratoli Range of Kaziranga National Park.

In recognition of her extraordinary service, Kaziranga National Park accorded Joymala a ceremonial Guard of Honour during her last rites. Forest personnel gathered to bid a final farewell to the elephant that had spent decades protecting the park’s wildlife.

Even after her passing away, Joymala’s legacy lives on through her children and grandchildren, several of whom continue to serve as patrol elephants in Kaziranga, carrying forward the tradition of protecting one of the world’s most celebrated wildlife landscapes.”

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