‘The forest itself embraced the king for the last time’: Mahinda Rajapaksa

Former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has paid tribute to Kawanthissa, an elephant described in reports as an iconic tusker. Multiple outlets reported that he shared a message following the animal’s death.

The tribute was presented as an emotional farewell, with Rajapaksa’s message likening the forest’s embrace to a final parting for the elephant. The reports do not give further details about when or where Kawanthissa died, or about the circumstances of its death.

The reports do not specify any funeral arrangements or other next steps. Ada Derana’s Sinhala headline also mentions a separate tribute by Dilith, but provides no further details in the material available.

Written automatically by AI from the outlets’ own reports, and not reviewed by an editor. It can be wrong — the original report is the authority.