Kottoor Soman

Kottoor Soman (c. 1942), also known as Konniyil Soman and Kottur Soman, is an Indian elephant and retired kumki who was inaccurately claimed or represented in 2020 to be the oldest living elephant in the world, owned by the Kerala Forest Department, but the claim of birth year has not been confirmed, which is why his submission into Guinness Book of Records was rejected.

In fact, the oldest known elephant in the world, as of 2024, is Vatsala, a female elephant born around 1917, who lives in the Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh, India. As of 2024, she is the oldest elephant and the only elephant known to have lived beyond 100 years.

History
The forest department of Kerala procured Soman from Thekkuthodu Kepramala area of Ranni Forest Division in 1968, which is the earliest confirmed record. After taking him to Konni elephant camp, he was trained and served as a kumki. Many elephants were trained under Soman until 1977, after which the government banned the capture of forest elephants.

In October 2020, an event was organised at the Kottur Elephant Sanctuary and Rehabilation Centre, where Soman was honoured by the other elephants in the sanctuary, as the authority was preparing to enter him into Guinness World Record for the oldest elephant, after his purported 78th birthday.