Tusker Royalty Nadungamuwa Raja has died at the age of 68.
Known as one of the most popular and respected elephants in Sri Lanka, Nadungamuwa Raja played a pivotal role in Buddhist religious events such as carrying the Sacred Tooth Relic in the annual procession of the Temple of the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy, travelling from Gampaha to Kandy on foot.
Its death comes as a shock to many Buddhist devotees and environmentalists in Sri Lanka.