Conservationists in Kenya pay tribute to beloved ‘super tusker’ elephant Craig, who died at age 54

NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – Kenyans are mourning the death of a beloved “super tusker” elephant whose long life in the wild came to symbolize the country’s increasingly successful efforts to protect the mammals from ivory poachers.

The bull elephant who died on Saturday was named Craig. He lived in Amboseli National Park, a protected area in southern Kenya that is a favorite of safari tourists, the Kenya Wildlife Service said in a statement.

“Craig, the legendary super tusker famed for its immense, ground-sweeping tusks and calm, dignified presence, passed on at the age of 54,” the statement said.

The Amboseli Trust for Elephants said Craig had died of natural causes. The conservation group said it was grateful to everyone who worked to help the animal “live out his life naturally.”

Local broadcaster NTV aired a segment on the death of Craig, saying of the elephant that it was a rare creature as “one of the last remaining elephants identified as super tuskers in Africa.”

The term describes a bull elephant with tusks that weigh over 45 kilograms each. Tusks that size are so long that they scrape the ground as the elephant walks, according to the Tsavo Trust, a non-profit conservation group in Kenya. Females that grow long tusks are called iconic cows, the group says.

In Amboseli National Park, a protected area whose vegetation ranges from savannah woodland to open grasslands near the Tanzania border, Craig stood out as an attraction to tourists and a notable creature to conservationists working to protect elephants from poachers and other threats.

The elephant was said to be calm, “often pausing patiently as visitors photographed and filmed him,” the statement by Kenya Wildlife Service said.

In 2021, Craig was adopted by beer maker East African Breweries through its popular Tusker brand, reflecting his prominence but also underscoring collaboration between conservation groups and others in Kenya.

Kenya’s national parks and reserves are home to a variety of wildlife species and attract millions of visitors annually, making the country a tourism hotspot.

The elephant population has grown from 36,280 in 2021 to 42,072 in 2025, the latest official figures show.

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.

The African savanna elephant is the largest land animal. Adult males weigh about six tons. Craig “fathered a number of calves, ensuring that his powerful bloodline and gentle character live on across generations,” the wildlife service said.

___ Muhumuza reported from Kampala, Uganda.