Nairobi, Kenya — Kenyans are mourning the death of their beloved “Super Tusker” elephant, whose long life in the wild became a symbol of the country’s increasingly successful efforts to protect the mammal from ivory poachers.
The name of the bull elephant who died on Saturday was Craig. He lived in Amboseli National Park, a protected area in southern Kenya that is a favourite with safari tourists, the Kenya Wildlife Service said in a statement.
“Craig, the famous super tusker known for his huge, ground-reaching teeth and calm, dignified presence, has died at the age of 54,” the statement said.
The Amboseli Trust for Elephants said Craig died of natural causes. The conservation group said it was grateful to everyone who worked to help the animals “live out their lives naturally.”
Local broadcaster NTV aired a segment on Craig’s death, saying the elephant was a rare creature, “one of the last remaining elephants in Africa known as the Super Tusker.”
a non-profit conservation group in Kenya,
This term describes a bull elephant with tusks weighing more than 45 kg. According to the Tsavo Trust, a non-profit conservation group in Kenya, the tusks are so long that they scrape the ground as the elephant walks. The group says females that have longer teeth are called prestige cows.
In Amboseli National Park, a protected area whose vegetation ranges from savanna woodland to open grasslands near the Tanzanian border, the crag stood as an attraction for tourists and a remarkable creature for conservationists working to protect elephants from poachers and other threats.
The Kenya Wildlife Service statement said the elephant was calm, with “visitors often stopping patiently to photograph and film him.”
In 2021, Craig was adopted by beer producer East African Breweries through its popular Tusker brand, reflecting his prominence but also underscoring collaboration between conservation groups and others in Kenya.
Millions of tourists annually flock to Kenya’s national parks and reserves, home to a variety of wildlife species, transforming the country into a tourist hotspot.
The latest official data shows the elephant population is set to increase from 36,280 in 2021 to 42,072 in 2025.
In Mwea National Reserve, a protected area east of Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, there has been a great increase in the elephant population. The ecosystem is being overwhelmed and will require the relocation of approximately 100 elephants in 2024.
The African Savanna Elephant is the largest land animal. The adult male weighs approximately six tonnes. “Craig sired numerous calves, ensuring that his powerful lineage and gentle character lived on for generations,” the Wildlife Service said.
___ Muhumuza reported from Kampala, Uganda.
