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