The Final Moments of Indro, an Elephant in Tesso Nilo National Park

A 45-year-old tame male Sumatran elephant (Elephas maximus sumatranus) named Indro has died at the Tesso Nilo National Park (TNTN) in Lubuk Kembang Bunga Village, Ukui District, Pelalawan Regency, Riau Province. Head of the TNTN Agency, Heru Sutmantoro, stated that the elephant died at the Camp Elephant Flying Squad, National Park Management Section (SPTN) Region I Lubuk Kembang Bunga, in the early hours of Monday, 29 June, at 03.45 WIB. “Indro was pronounced dead after receiving intensive medical treatment by a joint team from the Riau Natural Resources Conservation Agency (BBKSDA) and the Tesso Nilo National Park Agency due to health complications triggered by a loss of appetite following the musth phase (a period of peak hormonal activity and aggressiveness in male elephants),” he said in a statement received in Pekanbaru, quoted on Tuesday, 30 June 2026. He explained that on 25 April–6 May 2026, Indro was observed entering the early stages of musth. His behaviour changed, becoming more aggressive, marked by the discharge of fluid or sperm from his genitals. By early June, at the secure tethering location, Indro could no longer be approached, did not respond to commands from his mahout, and began exhibiting behaviour that endangered the safety of the officers. To maintain his physical condition, the Flying Squad team supplied feed and ensured the regular availability of drinking water every morning and evening. Given the prolonged musth phase, the TNTN medical team collaborated with the BBKSDA Riau to perform a sedation procedure to attach additional chains as a safety measure. Following the procedure, the medical team administered an antidote until Indro regained full consciousness in a stable, standing position. However, from the afternoon of 25–26 June, following the sedation, Indro was observed to have a drastically reduced appetite and water intake. The mahout and the TNTN medical team immediately conducted intensive 24-hour monitoring and coordinated closely with expert veterinarians for further treatment. On 28 June, Indro’s condition briefly showed positive signs after he began to drink water and attempted to touch his feed. To accelerate his physical recovery from the loss of appetite, the medical team administered a massive infusion of 60 bottles of fluids.