Sumatran Elephant Indro Dies at 45 in Tesso Nilo National Park

Tesso Nilo National Park in Pelalawan, Riau, has lost another Sumatran elephant. The adult elephant, named Indro, died at the age of 45 during a musth phase. Indro was reported dead on Monday, 29 June 2026, at around 03.45 WIB. He died from health complications during the musth phase. ‘Elephant Indro was declared dead after receiving intensive medical treatment by a joint team from the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) and the Tesso Nilo National Park Office due to health complications triggered by a loss of appetite following the musth phase,’ stated the Tesso Nilo National Park Office, as quoted by detikcom from its Instagram account on Tuesday (30/6/2026). For context, the musth phase is a natural biological cycle in adult male elephants characterised by a surge in testosterone, up to ten times the normal level. During this phase, elephants exhibit more aggressive behaviour, urine drips from the prepuce, and oil is secreted from the temporal glands located beneath the skin on both sides of the head, between the eyes and ear holes. The musth phase indicates that an elephant is ready to reproduce, offering hope for the continued regeneration of this protected wildlife species. The Tesso Nilo National Park Office revealed that Indro’s musth phase was first observed on 25 April 2026. During this phase, his behaviour became more aggressive starting from 1 May 2026, marked by the discharge of fluid/sperm from the genitals. ‘On 6 May 2026, secretion from the musth gland on the temple area began to appear and looked wet,’ the office added. At the beginning of June 2026, Indro was placed in the Flying Squad camp and given a security tether, as his condition made him unapproachable and unresponsive to his mahout’s commands. Indro began to exhibit behaviour that endangered the safety of the officers, so staff supplied food such as banana stems, coconut fronds, and elephant grass, and ensured regular water availability every morning and evening from a safe distance. Due to the prolonged musth phase, the BTNTN medical team, in coordination with BBKSDA Riau, performed a sedation procedure on 24 June 2026 to attach an additional chain as a safety measure. Following the procedure, the medical team administered an antidote until Indro regained full consciousness in a stable standing position. ‘From the afternoon following the sedation, Indro was observed to have a drastically reduced appetite and water intake. The mahout from the BTNTN medical team immediately conducted intensive 24-hour monitoring and coordinated closely with expert veterinarians for further treatment,’ the office explained. Throughout this process, the medical team, the Flying Squad, and the mahouts continuously monitored Indro’s health development. However, on 29 June 2026, precisely at 03.30 WIB, Indro experienced a sudden physical change. He was found lying down. The veterinarian and the mahout team immediately conducted an emergency examination of his respiratory functions and performed cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for several minutes. ‘However, Indro did not respond and was officially declared dead at 03.45 WIB,’ the Tesso Nilo National Park Office stated. Indro was a conflict-mitigation elephant. His death is a source of grief for animal lovers, environmental activists, and the conservation community. Indro had long served in supporting the Tesso Nilo National Park Flying Squad in mitigating human-wildlife conflict around the area. Condolences were not only expressed by the Natural Resources Conservation Agency and the Tesso Nilo National Park Office. Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan, who has a strong interest in Sumatran elephants, also conveyed his deep sorrow. ‘The passing of Indro, a Sumatran elephant who for decades was part of the Tesso Nilo National Park Elephant Flying Squad, leaves deep sorrow for all nature and wildlife lovers. His dedication to helping mitigate conflict between humans and elephants is an invaluable service,’ said Inspector General Herry Heryawan via his Instagram account, as seen by detikcom on Tuesday (30/6).