Iconic Mudumalai elephant ‘Rivaldo’ dies

The iconic Mudumalai tusker, Rivaldo, who lived successful harmony with the residents of Sigur plateau, has died, Forest Department officials person confirmed.

The elephant, believed to beryllium astir 50 years old, had been ailing for the past fewer days successful his location scope of Vazhaithottam successful the Segur wood range. He had reportedly sustained injuries successful fights with different elephants, officials said. Despite champion efforts to dainty him, the elephant died connected Friday (February 13, 2026) afternoon.

Over the years, the elephant, known for his majestic tusks and adjacent temperament towards humans, had go famed successful the area. Throughout his life, helium was not known to person attacked oregon injured immoderate human, contempt surviving successful adjacent proximity to the residents of Vazhaithottam and Bokkapuram.

There had been superior efforts to crook Rivaldo into a captive elephant a fewer years agone owed to complaints of him raiding houses successful hunt of food. However, aft helium was trapped successful an elephant structure and portion efforts were nether mode to crook him into a captive elephant, section conservationists, with the backing of Maneka Gandhi, erstwhile Union Minister for Women and Child Development, managed to get Rivaldo released.

Re-wilding efforts

The Forest Department past undertook an ambitious effort to “re-wild” the animal, choosing to merchandise him successful the halfway country of the reserve, astir 20 kilometers distant from his location territory. However, his affinity toward the Vazhaithottam-Bokkapuram region, wherever helium had formed bonds with different elephants, led him to astir instantly march backmost to Vazhaithottam pursuing his release, wherever helium lived retired the remainder of his life.

Priya Davidar, a conservation biologist who has known Rivaldo for the champion portion of 15 years, told The Hindu she believed helium was betwixt 40 to 50 years old. “He was approaching aged age, but helium would vanish for months unneurotic each twelvemonth successful hunt of mating opportunities,” she said.

‘A immense loss’

Ms. Davidar, who lives successful the Sigur, said helium had formed adjacent bonds with a herd of six different elephants successful the region, and would beryllium seen with them. “It is simply a immense nonaccomplishment from a conservation standpoint, successful that helium brought successful truthful overmuch attraction to the elephants of the Sigur,” she said.

Conservationists besides called connected the authorities to instrumentality different look astatine its attraction protocols and support teams of veterinarians trained and acceptable to dainty injured and ailing elephants successful the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR). “This portion is location to lone astir 5,000 Asian elephants – and each carnal counts. It is important that efforts are made to dainty elephants, particularly antheral elephants, whenever possible,” a conservationist said.