{"id":6163,"date":"2026-01-06T01:07:20","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T01:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/6163\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T01:07:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T01:07:20","slug":"kenya-conservationists-in-kenya-pay-tribute-to-the-late-super-tusker-craig","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/africa\/6163\/","title":{"rendered":"Kenya: Conservationists in Kenya Pay Tribute to the Late ‘Super Tusker’ Craig"},"content":{"rendered":"

Kenyans are mourning the death of a beloved “super tusker” elephant whose 54 years in the wild came to symbolise the country’s increasingly successful efforts to protect the mammals from ivory poachers. <\/p>\n

“Craig, the legendary super tusker famed for its immense, ground-sweeping tusks and calm, dignified presence, passed on at the age of 54,” the Kenya<\/a> Wildlife service<\/a> said in a statement Saturday.<\/p>\n

The bull elephant lived in Amboseli National Park in southern Kenya – a favorite for safari tourism.<\/p>\n

The Amboseli Trust for Elephants<\/a> said Craig had died of natural causes and that it was grateful to everyone who worked to help the animal “live out his life naturally”.<\/p>\n

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Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp<\/a> | LinkedIn<\/a><\/p>\n

Local broadcaster NTV aired a segment on the death of Craig, describing the elephant as a rare creature and “one of the last remaining elephants identified as super tuskers in Africa”.<\/p>\n

The term describes a bull elephant<\/a> with tusks that weigh over 45 kilograms each – so long that they scrape the ground as the elephant walks, according to the Tsavo Trust, a non-profit conservation group in Kenya.<\/p>\n

Females that grow long tusks are called iconic cows, the group says.<\/p>\n

Top of the class: clever Kenyan elephants learn to use rail underpasses<\/a><\/p>\n

Powerful bloodline<\/p>\n

Craig the elephant was a major attraction in Amboseli National Park. The Kenya Wildlife<\/a> Service described him as an “icon” of successful conservation and a “living monument to Africa’s natural heritage”.<\/p>\n

In 2021, he was adopted by beer<\/a> maker East African Breweries through its popular Tusker brand, reflecting his prominence but also underscoring collaboration between conservation groups and others in Kenya.<\/p>\n

Craig “fathered a number of calves, ensuring that his powerful bloodline and gentle character live on across generations,” the wildlife service said.<\/p>\n

Kenya<\/a>‘s national parks and reserves are home to a variety of wildlife species and attract millions of visitors each year, making the country a tourism hotspot.<\/p>\n

The elephant population has grown from 36,280 in 2021 to 42,072 in 2025, the latest official figures show.<\/p>\n

‘It’s about stopping harmful tourism’: the fight against Maasai Mara luxury hotel<\/a><\/p>\n

In the Mwea National Reserve, a protected area east of the Kenyan capital of Nairobi, the elephant population grew spectacularly, overwhelming the ecosystem and requiring the relocation of about 100 elephants in 2024.<\/p>\n

In June this year, Zimbabwe announced it would cull 50 elephants<\/a> in an effort to manage soaring numbers in a southeastern game reserve, with meat from the operation to be distributed to nearby communities.<\/p>\n

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(with newswires)<\/p>\n

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