Craig, one of the last remaining big tuskers in Kenya and Africa
Jan 3, 2023 19:40:01 #
I have had the incredible opportunity to see Tim who was known as the largest tusker in Kenya in 2019. Then in February of 2020 Tim died of natural causes and is now on display in Nairobi.
I saw Craig who is his cousin on my trip this year in August. Another of the large tuskers Tolstoy died in 2021. It is sad that these huge tuskers are becoming more and more rare.
I have photos of Tim after Craig.
‘Craig’, pictured here, is one of the last of his kind. A ‘Super Tusker’; an elephant with tusks weighing more than 45kg (100Ibs) each, and perhaps one of the best known elephants alive today.
It is estimated that perhaps only 20 super tuskers remain alive today, spread between the Tsavo-Amboseli eco-system in South East Kenya. Spending time in their presence is one of the most exhilarating experiences available to a wildlife photographer, making you wonder what it must have been like to spend time on safari many decades ago when sights like this one would have been more frequent.
The key to the survival of these beautiful giants is the protection of the environment in which they live. With Kenya’s human population set to double by 2050, the competition for space is at risk of eliminating the last handful of super tuskers.
This is where organisations like David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and Saving The Wild play such a key role. Helping to protect the last areas of wilderness available to these great creatures and ensuring the protection of the super tusker gene. Without their work, and that of many other dedicated individuals and organisations, images and sights like this remain possible, but only just.
Tolstoy, the Amboseli super tusker, has died at the age of 51, just weeks after being treated for a spear wound. Tolstoy was speared in his right front leg six weeks ago, likely by a farmer defending his crops from one of the tusker’s night-time crop-raids, according to Big Life Foundation. He was treated by joint Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)/ David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) mobile veterinary units at the time, and the teams continued to monitor him following the treatment.
I saw Craig who is his cousin on my trip this year in August. Another of the large tuskers Tolstoy died in 2021. It is sad that these huge tuskers are becoming more and more rare.
I have photos of Tim after Craig.
‘Craig’, pictured here, is one of the last of his kind. A ‘Super Tusker’; an elephant with tusks weighing more than 45kg (100Ibs) each, and perhaps one of the best known elephants alive today.
It is estimated that perhaps only 20 super tuskers remain alive today, spread between the Tsavo-Amboseli eco-system in South East Kenya. Spending time in their presence is one of the most exhilarating experiences available to a wildlife photographer, making you wonder what it must have been like to spend time on safari many decades ago when sights like this one would have been more frequent.
The key to the survival of these beautiful giants is the protection of the environment in which they live. With Kenya’s human population set to double by 2050, the competition for space is at risk of eliminating the last handful of super tuskers.
This is where organisations like David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation and Saving The Wild play such a key role. Helping to protect the last areas of wilderness available to these great creatures and ensuring the protection of the super tusker gene. Without their work, and that of many other dedicated individuals and organisations, images and sights like this remain possible, but only just.
Tolstoy, the Amboseli super tusker, has died at the age of 51, just weeks after being treated for a spear wound. Tolstoy was speared in his right front leg six weeks ago, likely by a farmer defending his crops from one of the tusker’s night-time crop-raids, according to Big Life Foundation. He was treated by joint Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS)/ David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust (DSWT) mobile veterinary units at the time, and the teams continued to monitor him following the treatment.
He gave me one good pose!
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It was so dry and dusty in Amboseli due to drought
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He was not out of the bushes for long, there was not much to eat on these bushes....
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He then gave us one last good look at him before moving on to try and find more food. The elephants in Amboseli have destroyed many trees just trying to survive.
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This is out side the park and you are allowed to get out of the vehicles for a better angle, we also had a local Maasai with us.
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This is Tim in late September 2019. Notice how green Amboseli was back then.
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If you look at my recent posts from Amboseli it is like night and day the difference in the vegetation
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It was weird, but you could just feel that the elephants were not happy this year with such a lack of food. Here they were happy with lots to eat.
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Again, green! Here I was out of the vehicle in 2019 as we were on private land. Tim was very tolerant of people and spent a lot more time with us.
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Jan 3, 2023 19:43:43 #
Jan 3, 2023 20:08:53 #
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Jan 3, 2023 22:47:27 #
Jan 3, 2023 22:57:36 #
Jan 4, 2023 01:55:43 #
Jan 4, 2023 04:36:41 #
You have documented some amazing photos that, in a way, are for a posterity that will not be. Oh yes, the gigantic bull elephants are incredible. So beautiful and so tolerant of teeny humans. But their ongoing plight, as truthfully described in your background story, is a stab in my heart and brings tears to my eyes.
Of course, it isn't just ellies; it's also lion, giraffe, rhino, gorilla, etc etc. We in over-developed "1st world" countries (the USA especially) have already stripped our land and wildlife. The "3rd world" poor have been subsidizing our wealth and over-indulgences for far too long. And now we cannot begrudge them for trying to exploit what little they have just to eke out sustenance AND survival in times of economic instability and climate change (contributing to severe droughts).
If the world is to save planet, cultures, people and wildlife that is barely hanging, we, it, needs to see these wild area as "fortunate" remaining geographical accidents and do whatever we can to support them.
Of course, it isn't just ellies; it's also lion, giraffe, rhino, gorilla, etc etc. We in over-developed "1st world" countries (the USA especially) have already stripped our land and wildlife. The "3rd world" poor have been subsidizing our wealth and over-indulgences for far too long. And now we cannot begrudge them for trying to exploit what little they have just to eke out sustenance AND survival in times of economic instability and climate change (contributing to severe droughts).
If the world is to save planet, cultures, people and wildlife that is barely hanging, we, it, needs to see these wild area as "fortunate" remaining geographical accidents and do whatever we can to support them.
Jan 4, 2023 05:50:39 #
Photolady2014 wrote:
I have had the incredible opportunity to see Tim w... (show quote)
Fantastic set of images
Jan 4, 2023 07:23:00 #
Jan 4, 2023 08:08:38 #
Jan 4, 2023 08:09:38 #
Incredible animals that need lots of space and vegetation to survive. Thanks for letting us who will never get to Africa, a chance to see these beautiful elephants.
Jan 4, 2023 08:11:20 #
Jan 4, 2023 08:52:37 #
Tommy 86
Loc: East TN
Thank you, once again, not only for your beautiful photos of amazing wildlife, but for your informative narratives, particularly regarding the struggles that abound in Africa. I also want to thank you for the mention of Sheldrick Wildlife Trust. They do amazing work in Kenya, particularly with saving orphaned elephants, but also lending aid to any animals who need help as well as education and ecological support.
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