Ronaldo, a wild bull elephant that played a key role in breeding at Chitwan National Park’s elephant breeding centre, was found dead on Saturday morning in the park’s buffer zone.

The elephant was found in the Bishazaro Tal (lake) and Kumal Tal area near Sauraha, close to the Khorsor-based elephant breeding centre.

Park officials have not yet released further details about the death.

Abinash Thapa Magar, information officer at Chitwan National Park, said officials had received preliminary information that a wild bull elephant had been found dead but that details were still being gathered.

Ronaldo first appeared in the Sauraha area about 24 years ago, when Brazilian football star Ronaldo was in the spotlight during the 2002 World Cup. Local guides began calling the agile-looking elephant ‘Ronaldo’, and the name stuck.

The bull was frequently seen around Khorsor and became an important part of the breeding programme, with 38 calves born at the centre attributed to him, according to the park.

Ronaldo played an important role in the breeding programme by mating with captive female elephants and contributing to the genetic diversity of the captive population.

The bull had become a familiar presence around Sauraha and Khorsor and was widely known among local guides, wildlife workers and visitors.