In 1979, there were estimated to be 1.3 million elephants in Africa; ten years later, there were only about 600 000. By 2014 the Great Elephant Census estimated there were only around 352 000 elephants across Africa. In Kenya alone, the elephant population plummeted from 130 000 in 1973 to fewer than 20 000 in 1989. These original losses were largely driven by the ivory trade, but modern declines have also been compounded by growing human populations and habitat loss.

“There is mystery behind that masked gray visage, and ancient life force, delicate and mighty, awesome and enchanted, commanding the silence ordinarily reserved for mountain peaks, great fires, and the sea.” ~ Peter Matthiessen

The Amboseli elephant population is one of very few that has had a relatively undisturbed existence. This rare situation is primarily due to two factors – the presence of researchers and tourists in the park, and the support of the local Maasai people. In the absence of poaching and culling, the Amboseli elephant population has been increasing steadily since the late 1970s. Amboseli is, therefore, one of the few places in Africa where elephant age structure (spanning birth to extreme old age) has not been drastically skewed by human activities.

A view from the Kilitome Tawi conservancy which is where we found Craig, one of Amboseli’s best known “super tuskers”. This was the view looking south west towards Mount Kilimanjaro. During the dry seasons (January–February and July–August), much of the fresh snow melts reducing the iconic white cap and revealing the darker, rocky volcanic slopes.

Currently, there are estimated to be between 1 400 to over 2 000 elephants in the broader Amboseli National Park ecosystem, with the core population in the park being around 1 400 to 1 600. Amboseli National Park, located in southern Kenya, is a 392 square kilometre core area within a much larger 3 400 square kilometre ecosystem that includes Mount Kilimanjaro, Chyulu Hills, and Tsavo West.

The population is studied extensively by the Amboseli Elephant Research Project (AERP), which has tracked the animals for over 50 years. In 1972, Cynthia Moss formally established the Amboseli Elephant Research Project (AERP). Since its inception, AERP has monitored Amboseli’s elephants, identifying all the elephants in the population and collecting data on births, deaths and behaviour.

Amboseli National Park’s western border is very close to the Tanzanian border, and is generally situated roughly 10–15 kilometres north of the border line at its closest point near Lake Amboseli.

“There are 63 elephant families in the Amboseli population, of which 17 families, consisting of 365 members, regularly spend time in Tanzania. In addition, approximately 30 adult male elephants, over the age of 25 years, use the Enduimet area and beyond in Tanzania as part of their home range,” says the Joint Statement from Elephant Voices, Big Life Foundation and Amboseli Trust for Elephants. “For half a century, Enduimet has been a favourite area for a particular set of adult males who use it as part of their ‘bull area’, which they use when bulking up for their next reproductively active period.” In late 2023 and early 2024, three super tuskers were hunted and killed causing an uproar, similar to the illegal hunting of Cecil, the huge male lion in Zimbabwe.

Great tuskers are individual elephants with extremely long tusks. They are rare because in last 100 years having been targeted by poachers and hunters. There are approximately 10 to 30 Super Tuskers (elephants with tusks weighing over 100 lbs each) left in Kenya, primarily found in the Amboseli ecosystem and Tsavo Conservation Area. In the Amboseli Ecosystem there are roughly 10 known Super Tuskers, although this number fluctuates. The Tsavo Conservation Area is home to at least 10 named, protected Super Tuskers, with 32 emerging bulls monitored by Tsavo Trust and Kenya Wildlife Service. These “Super Tuskers” are highly valued, and the aged bulls are critical for breeding.

There are an estimated 84+ tuskers remaining across Africa. This count excludes Central African forest elephant populations, where tusk measurements are rarely assessed. Anecdotal evidence and video footage suggest the presence of tusker forest elephants, but to date, there has been no way to determine an estimate.

Accurately counting tuskers is fraught with difficulties. Many elephants avoid human contact or inhabit remote areas with no associated data, making it impossible to include them in population estimates. Tusk size is sexually dimorphic, with the tusks of bulls increasing on average at 11cm per year, while female tusks increase at 8.5cm per year (Spinage, 1994). Large tusks are associated with older bulls because elephant tusks grow throughout their lives (Pilgram & Western, 1986) and they grow faster towards the latter half of a bull’s life (Laws, 1966; Spinage, 1994).

We do not yet fully understand the genetic mechanisms of tusk size, which impact its heritability. There will always be individual physiological differences within any population. The ageing process (and its effects on reproductive potential) will never be the same for male elephants. Tusk growth could vary in elephant populations living in different parts of the continent, exposed to various environmental factors and, most importantly, consuming different diets. (Source: Africa Geographic).

Super tuskers are not just impressive animals; they represent rare genetics that are essential to the long-term survival of African elephants. Heavy ivory has been systematically removed from elephant populations for over a century, and so reducing the genes that produce massive tusks.
These elephants are also ecological engineers, shaping landscapes by breaking trees, opening pathways, and influencing vegetation patterns that benefit many other species. Economically, they are worth far more alive than dead, drawing photographers, tourists, and researchers from around the world.

With only about 10 super tuskers left in Amboseli every remaining individual is irreplaceable. Conservationists warn that unless cross-border protections are strengthened and trophy hunting of elephants near Kenya’s borders is halted, the last of Africa’s Super Tuskers could vanish within a single generation.

Perhaps one of the most photographed elephant ever, Craig was the undisputed icon of Amboseli. With his sweeping tusks that nearly scraped on the ground, he embodied the very idea of the Super Tusker. During his last years, Craig was often seen around Kimana Sanctuary or deeper in Amboseli National Park. Craig inspired countless conservation stories and was the face of Amboseli’s living giants.

On the 4th of January 2026, he collapsed intermittently before lying down in the early hours and not rising. His death was considered from natural causes, with signs pointing to age related tooth wear affecting his ability to process food.

“Although elephants are far more distantly related to us than the great apes, they seem to have evolved similar social and cognitive capacities.” ~ Frans de Waal

“They say an elephant never forgets. What they don’t tell you is, you never forget an elephant.” ~ Bill Murray

Craig walking across the foreground with a minimally snow-capped Mount Kilimanjaro in the background. The morning light aligned perfectly with the direction of the shot.

It was a privilege to spend around two hours with Craig in early October last year.

During drier, non-breeding months, Super Tuskers usually wander alone or join loose bachelor herds. In these all-male groups, older bulls act as mentors, guiding younger males on navigation and survival. The dynamics change as the rainy season arrives and food is abundant, as their behaviour shifts during musth—a period of heightened testosterone and aggression. During musth, a bull becomes highly territorial and will actively seek out and compete for mating opportunities. Once the breeding season ends, they may return to solitary life or rejoin their bachelor brotherhoods.

“The time we spend around elephants is almost like a meditation… They embody all the things we find noble about ourselves and none of the things we hate about our species.” ~ Dereck Joubert

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike

After a rough ride the previous afternoon we decided not to go into Amboseli National Park the second afternoon but rather photograph birds around the camp and later in that afternoon to drive around Elephant Garden’s conservancy.

“Wild beasts and birds are by right not the property merely of the people today, but the property of the unborn generations, whose belongings we have no right to squander.”
~ Theodore Roosevelt

Around the Elephant Garden Camp we found two pairs of Red and yellow barbets. The plumage of this species is a mix of bright red, yellow, white and black. It has a red face and white ‘comma’ behind its eye. Its throat and belly are yellow and it has a black and white collar. The top of its crown is black and its beak is a pinkish-red colour.

The Red-and-yellow barbet is a colourful ground barbet which spends a lot of its time foraging on the ground. It is omnivorous, feeding on seeds, fruit, and invertebrates. It is commonly seen in dry bush and woodland where there are plenty of small termite mounds.

Males of red-and-yellow barbet have distinctive black (spotted white), red, and yellow plumage. Females  are similar, but less brightly coloured.

The walkways between the main reception area and tents were lined with flowering shrubs which attracted a variety of sunbirds. An Eastern double-collared sunbird was foraging for nectar in the flowering bushes.

This species of sunbird had gorgeous iridescent greens and blues on its head, neck and back. The perched position of this sunbird images did not reveal the double collar on its breast.

Away from the camp in the dry acacia woodland of Elephant Garden’s Conservancy, we saw many White-headed buffalo-weavers. Apart from its white head, neck and belly, this species has a vivid orange rump which makes it instantly visible in the dry acacia areas.

A long-tailed fiscal shrike. This species follows mammals walking through the grass and bushes. The mammals disturb insects which is just what this shrike is looking for.

A Superb starling not to be confused with its darker cousin with red eyes, the Hilderbrand starling. This bird feeds primarily on the ground or in acacia trees. It seeks various types of insects, but will also take berries and fruits, and nectar from some plants when available. Both adults are similar having glossy blue-green upperparts, with a darker blue tinge on the nape. Their upper wing coverts have a glossy metallic green iridescence, with black spots on the covert tips. The tail is relatively short and glossy blue-green.

The Grey-headed silverbill is a small African finch unique for its distinct grey head covered in fine white, pearl-like spots. It has a highly sociable nature, and a very bulky, large, silvery bill. It is found in dry, grassy, and bushy areas. These birds live in small flocks (up to 30) and often sleep in old weaver nests. During rivalry, males raise the white-spotted feathers on their head to intimidate competitors. Males display with a blade of grass in their beak, then drop it and sing while wagging their tail to a receptive female.

“Watching birds has become part of my daily meditation affirming my connection to the earth body.”
~ Carol P. Christ

White-browed sparrow-weaver. This species is found all over southern and central Africa. Groups of ten to sixty inverted-U-shaped nests of dry grass appear in the outside limbs of trees, although only several are used for breeding or roosting. While breeding nests have only one entrance, roosting nests have an entrance located at each of the two nest extremities. Research has shown that, throughout a region, nests are located at the leeward side of a tree. This behaviour preserves a greater number of intact nests for breeding and roosting.

The Kurrichane thrush is primarily distinguished from other similar African thrushes by its white belly and bold black “moustache” (malar) stripes. This species is a “master of melody” known for its ability to mimic the calls of other bird species. Unlike birds that use only dry materials, Kurrichane Thrushes often line their cup-shaped nests with mud.

A female Isabelline wheatear. This species is a pale arctic migrant found in east Africa between September and April and prefers dry open countryside.

Fischer’s lovebird is a small bright green parrot with distinctive head and rump markings. The Fischer’s lovebird is commonly found along the Kenyan Tanzanian border. This species is bright green with a relatively dull orange-red face and yellow collar that extends around its neck. We found this character because of its loud call which is a series of squeaks. This species has a diet of small grains like millet, seeds, fruit, berries and leaf buds.

“Birds chirping around you is a beautiful realisation that life is incredibly good. Let this sound be a gentle break in your routine.” ~ Hiral Nagda

The White-bellied go-away bird is a large grey and white bird which sits on top of the canopy of trees and has a loud onomatopoeic call which gives it its name. The White-bellied species is found in Kenya and Tanzania while the Bare-faced go-away bird and Grey go-away bird are found mainly in Tanzania. The plumage of both sexes of the White-bellied go-away birds are similar but the male has a black beak while the female has a green beak.

A male Gerenuk. The Gerenuk, whose name means “giraffe-necked” in Somali, is an exceptionally long-necked antelope. Its head is small for its size, but its eyes and ears are large. Only the males have horns, which are stout and heavily ringed, and consequently have a more heavily muscled neck than the females. They have a coat that is brown on the upper back and lighter on the sides. The short tail looks longer as it ends in a tuft of black hair.

“Nature’s hydration hack, the Gerenuk, with its waterless survival and unique feeding habits, is a testament to nature’s ability to adapt and evolve.” ~ Reteti Elephant Sanctuary

At a quick glance from a distance, the Gerenuk looks like an unusual impala. Some of the most notable characteristics of the gerenuk are its long, slender neck and thin legs. Gerenuks have also wedge-shaped skulls and shorter noses than many antelope species, giving them a giraffe-like appearance.

Gerenuks use a specialised preorbital gland located in front of their eyes to scent-mark their territory. Males deposit a dark, sticky, tar-like substance from these glands onto twigs and branches to define boundaries and warn rivals. They also have glands on their knees and hooves which they also use as a primary method for marking their habitat.

Male Gerenuks use a specific courtship behaviour to assess if a female is receptive to mating. The male approaches the female and uses a stiff foreleg to gently tap or kick her hind leg or belly. This tapping encourages the female to urinate. The male then samples the urine in a flehmen response to detect pheromones that indicate if the female is in estrus.

Unlike other antelopes who eat by grazing, the Gerenuk often stands on its two hind legs and uses its two front legs to graze from tree branches. By standing up like this in combination with their long necks mean they can sometimes reach plants up to two metres high.

The Elephant Garden Conservancy, although small turned out to be a good choice for the second afternoon of our trip. The conservancies place a vital role in protecting the wildlife in the greater Amboseli ecosystem. There is no single “Tsavo-to-Mara” conservancy, but a network of community-led and private conservancies across Kenya’s Southern Rift Valley that form a vital wildlife corridor connecting the Tsavo and Greater Masai Mara ecosystems. These corridors act as “genetic highways,” allowing species like elephants and large carnivores to move between these major habitats to maintain healthy populations.

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect”
~ Aldo Leopold

The connectivity between these ecosystems is maintained through several distinct corridors and conservancy clusters:

Amboseli-Tsavo Corridor: This link connects Tsavo West to Amboseli National Park. It is secured by community group ranches like Mbirikani, Kimana, and Kuku, which keep pathways open through wildlife-friendly land use.

Southern Rift Landscapes: Between Amboseli and the Mara, viable populations of lions and wild dogs live in community lands. Critical links here include the Western and North-Western corridors near Shompole, which facilitate movement toward the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem.

Greater Masai Mara Conservancies: Once wildlife reaches the Mara ecosystem, a ring of conservancies—including Mara Naboisho, Ol Kinyei, and Mara North—serves as essential buffer zones. These conservancies allow for the “mini” Loita Migration of wildebeest from the northern plains into the reserve.

The key difference between private wildlife conservancies in Kenya and national parks is ownership. As the name suggests, private conservancies are either owned by private landowners or local communities, such as the Maasai. Conservancies primarily focus on wildlife conservation for tourism. The conservancies came about when Maasai land owners with neighbouring land came together to agree that safari camp operators could use their land for tourism purposes, in return for either a percentage of profits or leasing fee. While this varies between conservancies, in some instances the Maasai retain livestock grazing rights in their conservancies. Most of the conservancies have only a few lodges with strict limitations on the number of tourist beds and number of safari vehicles permitted at wildlife sightings. Self-driving is not permitted in any of the conservancies. Local communities also gain employment as guides and drivers.

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed.”
~ Mahatma Gandhi

Explore, seek to understand, marvel at its connectedness and let it be,

Have fun, Mike

Long standing family friend and photo buddy, Ann Nichols and I went to Amboseli National Park last October. The safari was organised by photographic and safari travel company, Wild Eye. This was the third trip to Amboseli with Wild Eye, but this time we did not have Wild Eye drivers and guides but relied on the guides from the two lodges we stayed in, and just outside, Amboseli National Park.

“Amboseli feels like a place where the land breathes in slow, powerful rhythms, with vast open plains stretching endlessly beneath the watchful presence of Mount Kilimanjaro.” — Kostas Fikas

We visited Amboseli for our five days, staying three nights at Elephant Garden Camp on the east side and two nights at Elewana Tortilis Camp on the west side of the park. The first lodge, Elephant Garden Camp was located outside the park about 20 minutes drive from the Kimana (originally Olkelunyiet) gate on the eastern boundary of Amboseli National Park. From that gate, we accessed the swamps at the heart of Amboseli via the Oloitokitok sand road. It took about 45 minutes on the extremely rough sand/gravel road to get to the swamps where many of the elephant families feed.

“Nothing but breathing the air of Africa, and walking through it, can communicate the indescribable sensations.” -“William Burchell”

Amboseli National Park, is in Kajiado District of the Rift Valley Province in south western Kenya. The park is 39,206 hectares (392 km2) in size and is at the core of an 8,000 square kilometre ecosystem that spreads across the Kenya-Tanzania border. The park protects two of the five main swamps in the district, the Olokenya and Enkongo Narok swamps, the other three are outside Amboseli National Park. The Amboseli lake, which is seasonal, and more often than not dry, is mostly inside the park on its north western boundary.

Thankfully, we flew from Nairobi’s Wilson airport to the Amboseli airstrip which took about 45 minutes and saved a road trip along the A109 highway which would have taken around six to seven hours, depending on traffic. We arrived in Amboseli around mid-morning so the sun was high in the sky and it was already getting warm.

“Amboseli greets its visitors with vistas of Kilimanjaro, herds of elephants, and swamps swirling in dust where vivid reflections of feathers and wings dance in its large open pools.” ~ Mike Haworth

Most safari visitors go to Amboseli for elephants with a Mount Kilimanjaro background, but the crowds have grown materially since my first visit. Unlike the mammals, the bird life around the swamps does not seem to attract a fraction of the visitors’ attention, but is abundant and wonderfully varied. The swamps attract huge numbers of waterbirds and waders. We saw many Squacco herons hunting in the reeds and long grass next to the pools of water in the Olokenya swamp. The swamps in Amboseli National Park are primarily fed by underground water originating from rain and snowmelt on Mount Kilimanjaro. This water travels through volcanic rock, creating a persistent underground aquifer that breaks the surface to form lush marshes and wetlands in the dry savanna.

An adult Greater flamingo on the left-hand side and a juvenile Greater flamingo on the right. Huge flocks of flamingos can be seen in the shallow open pools in the swamps. The swamps in Amboseli National Park are primarily shallow, groundwater-fed wetlands rather than deep lakes, with water levels on the dried-up Lake Amboseli floor often remaining under 0.6 meters even when filled during rainy seasons.

A male Greater Painted snipe. Sexes of this species are dimorphic regarding their plumage colouring. The male is distinguished from true snipes by his pale breast harness and white eye-patch. The female is more brightly coloured than male with a dark chestnut neck and breast.

Once you have spotted a Painted snipe it is easy to keep your eyes on it but it is usually well camouflaged so to see it in the first place can be tricky and it is usually its movement that gives them away.

Great white pelicans are abundant in the swamps and can often be seen hunting in groups corralling the fish into a shallow or small inlet. The Great white pelican is easily identified by its large size and its yellow bill pouch and pink skin around its eyes.

A Collared pratincole is an elegant, agile flier that looks like a cross between a plover and a swallow. The Collared species is recognised by grey-brown upper parts, beige throat and breast with a dark brown necklace and a white belly. The base of its beak is red. The Collared pratincole is a bird of open country, and is often seen near water in the evening, hawking for insects.

A White browed coucal is a member of the cuckoo family. The underparts and nape are streaked, and it has a distinctive white eyebrow. The rump and upper tail coverts are barred, unlike other coucals. It prefers to clamber through reeds and thick vegetation when foraging. Like most coucals, the white-browed coucal is considered omnivorous. While it is primarily known as an opportunistic carnivore and insectivore, its diet is broad and flexible. Due to this unique sound and its tendency to call during high humidity or before storms, it is widely referred to as the “rainbird”.

An elephant bull feeding on the lush vegetation in the swamp. While feeding the bull was disturbing many insects in the surrounding vegetation which attracted several Cattle egrets.

“Wetlands are actually unsung heroes. They nurture young fish, provide refuge for animals and birds, and protect our communities from floods.” — Annie Proulx

An adult Cattle egret perched on the back of an elephant watching and waiting for insects to be flushed by the movement of the elephant.

Amboseli beyond the swamps is dry and arid. Our first sighting in this arid section on our way from the airstrip to Elephant Garden camp was a pair of mating lions. The heat haze dictated that I could not get tack sharp images of this sighting.

A Fischer’s sparrow-lark found in its usual habitat in dry grasslands and semi-arid areas. Beyond the swamps Amboseli is surprisingly arid. Fischer’s sparrow-lark is a ground-foraging bird that primarily eats grass seeds, supplemented by insects. They are often seen in small flocks foraging in short grass, bare fields, and semi-arid savannas to find food. The staple of their diet is grass seeds, which they collect from the ground. Their finch-like bills are adapted for handling these seeds.

A White-browed sparrow-weaver. I am always amazed at how sparrows and weavers can land on an acacia branch with huge spikes and not get impaled.

A Little bee-eater hawking insects in the heat of the day.

There was plenty of activity in the open grasslands away from the swamps. A pair of Ostriches were mating. The mating ritual is quite a display. Ostriches mate through an elaborate courtship ritual where males (cocks) defend territory, turn their shins and neck bright red and perform a dance by waving their wings, swaying and booming. Females choose mates based on this display. The mating occurs when the female sits, allowing the male to mount her from behind. Unlike most birds, male ostriches have a phallus for mating.

A male Black-bellied bustard striding through the long grass hunting for insects. This species looks very similar to the Hartlaub’s bustard. The male is similar to the male Hartlaub’s Bustard, but separated by a greyer face with a less definitive white mark on the cheek and it has lighter coloured eyes.

We eventually got to Elephant Garden camp around midday and were very pleasantly surprised. It was restful and luxurious tented camp. The accommodation was in large very comfortable tents with all the modern facilities.

The main dining, reception and bar area is large and open to all passing breezes. It looks onto a wonderful vista which stretches south across a large open grassland to Mount Kilimanjaro.

A traffic jam of safari vehicles all jockeying for place to get the best view of a breeding herd of elephants crossing the road. This is not what we were expecting and it happened time and time again. The quality of driving by the majority of safari vehicle drivers was inconsiderate and at times reckless. There seemed to be little regard for the animals which were supposed to be the centre of the attraction.

On the first afternoon of our Elephant Garden part of the Amboseli trip, Ann and I went out on a game drive into Amboseli through the Kimana gate and along the Oloitokitok sand road which was in very poor condition. To make matters worse, the rutted and very bumpy road had what looked to be about 150mm of fine white dust on it. It took about 45 minutes of rough riding to get from the Kimana gate to the lower end of the Olokenya swamp.

Little did we know when it was time to turn back to get through the Kimana gate before it closed at 18h00 all the other safari vehicles that entered through the Kimana gate had the same idea. There must be around 15 camps/lodges within half an hour drive of the Kimana gate. On the evening return trip to the Kimana gate, the safari vehicle drivers were reckless, driving way too fast on an extremely bumpy road and all of them churning up dust to the point where you could not see the road in front of you. I have never experienced anything like this in the 60 years I have been visiting wildlife parks in Africa. Our safari vehicle had no windows so our camera kit was covered in a thick layer of fine white dust, and I cannot tell you politely what we looked like.

“Be a curator of your life. Slowly cut things out until you’re left only with what you love, with what’s necessary, with what makes you happy.” ~ Leo Babauta

Needless to say we told our safari guide/driver we were not prepared to do another afternoon drive in Amboseli like that again. The next afternoon we chose to stay in camp and photograph the wonderful variety of birds which we saw around the camp. A relaxed afternoon photographing birds and enjoying early sundowners reset our attitude. The third afternoon we drove around Elephant Garden Camp’s small conservancy. We had wonderful sightings of Gerenuks and saw many new birds.

“Shifting the mind into lower gear can bring better health, inner calm, enhanced concentration and the ability to think more creatively.” ~ Carl Honoré

At the time we questioned why Wild Eye had chosen a camp outside the eastern gate of Amboseli but on the third day it became apparent. The oldest biggest tusker, Craig spent much of his time feeding in the conservancies just east of Amboseli near the Kimana gate. On the third day we got the message that Craig had been located and we could take a short easy drive to spend a couple of hours photographing him.

Explore, see to understand, marvel at its interconnectedness and let it be.

Have fun, Mike