Abhimanyu (elephant)
Lead elephant at the Mysuru Dasara in India
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Abhimanyu (born c. 1964) is a male Asian elephant who, since 2020, has been the lead elephant and carrier of the Golden Howdah at the Mysore Dasara. Since 1977, he has been a lead Kumki elephant, playing a crucial role in more than 300 elephant captures and over 80 tiger captures across India.[3] He is credited with capturing 90% of Karnataka elephants. He retired from Golden Howdah and Kumki operations in 2026.[4][5]
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| Species | Asian elephant |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | c. 1964 (age 61–62)[1] |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Golden Howdah carrier, tiger capture (80+) and elephant capture (300+) specialist, leader and lead elephant in the last migration capture operation in Madhya Pradesh, India. |
| Years active | 1977-2026 |
| Title | AK-47, Captain Abhimanyu, Kumki King |
| Successor | Prashanta |
| Weight | 5,635 kg (12,423 lb)[2] |
| Height | 2.78 m (9 ft 1 in) |
| Named after | Abhimanyu |
Abhimanyu resides at the Mathigodu Elephant Camp.[6] In July 2026, he chipped the tip of his left tusk while moving a log during routine work at the Mathigodu Elephant Camp. Veterinarians confirmed that he remained otherwise healthy and that the tusk was expected to regrow. He continued to take part in a tiger-tracking operation in Sarguru, Mysuru, shortly afterwards.[7]
