Kenya mourns legendary ‘super tusker’ elephant Craig after death in national park

Kenya’s elephant population has grown from 36,280 in 2021 to 42,072 in 2025

The Amboseli Trust for Elephants said Craig had died of natural causes

Kenyans are mourning the death of Craig, a beloved 'super tusker' elephant whose life in the wild symbolised the nation's growing success in protecting its elephant population from ivory poachers.

The bull elephant, aged 54, passed away on Saturday in Amboseli National Park, a protected area in southern Kenya popular with safari tourists. The Kenya Wildlife Service confirmed his death, describing Craig as 'the legendary super tusker famed for its immense, ground-sweeping tusks and calm, dignified presence'.

The Amboseli Trust for Elephants stated Craig died of natural causes, expressing gratitude to everyone who helped 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.

This undated photo shows Craig, the iconic elephant with super tusks, died from natural causes on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 in Amboseli National Park, Kenya. (Kenya Wildlife Service via AP) (Kenya Widlife Service)

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.