On an early winter morning, while on patrol near the wetland known as Mihibeel, Rabha was mounted on Mohanmala, accompanied by Malati. The morning calm was suddenly shattered when a wild bull elephant, emerged and charged aggressively at them.“The enraged bull closed the distance rapidly, trumpeting. In a display of raw power, it uprooted a large tree and flung it aside. In that split second of danger, Mohanmala, sensing the imminent threat to her mahout and calf, made a decisive move. Without hesitation, she turned towards the deep waters of Mihibeel—waters she knew well from her flood-time journeys—and plunged in, urging Malati to follow,” the statement said.With powerful strokes, she ferried Rabha across, putting a safe distance between them and the bull. Once she reached the far bank and ensured her mahout was safe, she vanished into the surrounding forest with her calf. For weeks, her whereabouts were unknown. Then, one day, Mohanmala returned to her camp along with Malati, calm and unharmed, possibly after about a month, marking a poignant reminder of their survival, resilience, and the unspoken bond between elephant and human.“With her passing, Kaziranga National Park has lost not just a working member, but a trusted colleague, a flood-time saviour, and a symbol of loyalty and courage. Her decades of service will remain etched in the park’s history, and her absence will be deeply felt by all who worked alongside her,” the statement further stated.
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