Iconic Mudumalai elephant ‘Rivaldo’ dies

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

The elephant, believed to be around 50 years old, had been ailing for the past few days in his home range of Vazhaithottam in the Segur forest range. He had reportedly sustained injuries in fights with other elephants, officials said. Despite best efforts to treat him, the elephant died on Friday (February 13, 2026) afternoon.

Over the years, the elephant, known for his majestic tusks and even temperament towards humans, had become famed in the area. Throughout his life, he was not known to have attacked or injured any human, despite living in close proximity to the residents of Vazhaithottam and Bokkapuram.

There had been serious efforts to turn Rivaldo into a captive elephant a few years ago due to complaints of him raiding houses in search of food. However, after he was trapped in an elephant shelter and while efforts were under way to turn him into a captive elephant, local conservationists, with the backing of Maneka Gandhi, former Union Minister for Women and Child Development, managed to get Rivaldo released.

Re-wilding efforts

The Forest Department then undertook an ambitious effort to “re-wild” the animal, choosing to release him in the core area of the reserve, around 20 kilometers away from his home territory. However, his affinity toward the Vazhaithottam-Bokkapuram region, where he had formed bonds with other elephants, led him to almost immediately march back to Vazhaithottam following his release, where he lived out the rest of his life.

Priya Davidar, a conservation biologist who has known Rivaldo for the best part of 15 years, told The Hindu she believed he was between 40 to 50 years old. “He was approaching old age, but he would disappear for months together every year in search of mating opportunities,” she said.

‘A huge loss’

Ms. Davidar, who lives in the Sigur, said he had formed close bonds with a herd of six other elephants in the region, and would be seen with them. “It is a huge loss from a conservation standpoint, in that he brought in so much attention to the elephants of the Sigur,” she said.

Conservationists also called on the government to take another look at its treatment protocols and keep teams of veterinarians trained and ready to treat injured and ailing elephants in the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (NBR). “This region is home to only around 5,000 Asian elephants – and every animal counts. It is important that efforts are made to treat elephants, especially male elephants, whenever possible,” a conservationist said.