Overview: Who Was Craig?
Craig was a male African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana) that lived in Amboseli National Park, one of Kenya’s most iconic wildlife landscapes beneath Mount Kilimanjaro. Born January 1972, Craig died on 3 January 2026 at age 54, and was globally recognised as a legendary “super tusker” — a rare class of bull elephant characterised by extraordinarily large tusks.
Super tuskers are defined by unusually long and heavy tusks — in Craig’s case, each tusk weighed more than ~45 kg (100 lbs) and nearly reached the ground, a feature that made him instantly recognisable to visitors and researchers for decades.
Early Life and Family
Craig was born into the CB elephant family, a well-studied clan within the Amboseli Elephant Research Project, a long-running scientific monitoring programme that has documented individual elephants, their social structure, and life histories in this population since the early 1970s.
His mother was Cassandra, a matriarch respected by researchers; the CB family naming system (most names beginning with “C”) reflects this long-term social study. Over his life, Craig fathered numerous calves, contributing genetically and socially to the Amboseli elephant population.
Why Craig Was Exceptional
1. Super Tusker Status
- Super tuskers are extremely rare across Africa, and fewer than a handful remain even in large elephant strongholds like Amboseli.
- Craig’s tusks were historic: very heavy, long, and highly symmetrical, features that would have made him a prime target for ivory poaching in prior decades.
2. Public and Scientific Recognition
- Craig was widely photographed, documented, and admired by conservationists, guides, and tourists for his calm, dignified temperament.
- This temperament, unusual for large bull elephants, made him a frequent subject of safari photography and research observations.
3. Ambassador of Conservation
- In 2021, East African Breweries Limited (EABL) formally adopted Craig in connection with their Tusker beer brand — a cultural crossover that underscored his symbolic stature in Kenya and beyond.
- Conservationists celebrated his long life as evidence of the effectiveness of anti-poaching patrols, habitat protection, community stewardship, and collaborative conservation efforts by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and partners.
His Death: Natural Causes at Advanced Age
Craig died peacefully of natural causes on 3 January 2026, in the early hours on Olgulului community land within the wider Amboseli ecosystem, not far from his lifelong home.
Cause of Death
According to conservation partners and field observations:
- Craig’s molars were severely worn down, a normal process for aging elephants that ultimately impairs the ability to chew food properly. This dental wear likely contributed to chronic digestive failure — a leading natural cause of death in old elephants.
- Observers noted that in the period before death, he experienced intermittent collapses, short movements between rest periods, and poorly chewed plant material in his dung — consistent signs of failing chewing capacity and digestive stress.
Conservation staff and partners, including Big Life Foundation’s rangers, monitored Craig closely and stayed with him through his final hours.
Legacy and Wildlife Conservation Significance
Craig’s life and death carry multiple layers of significance:
1. Conservation Success Story
Craig’s longevity — dying of natural causes at age 54 — is a rare outcome for super tuskers, which historically were heavily targeted by ivory poachers. His survival into old age is widely credited to:
- Decades of dedicated anti-poaching protection
- Continuous monitoring by field researchers
- Strong community involvement in wildlife stewardship
- Habitat protection efforts by KWS and conservation partners
This represents a significant victory for elephant conservation, showing that sustained effort can allow even the most targeted individuals to survive and thrive despite historic pressures.
2. Genetic and Social Continuity
Craig left behind offspring that carry his genetic legacy, contributing to Amboseli’s elephant population structure and diversity.
3. Cultural and Tourism Impact
- Beyond biology, Craig was an ambassador species — a cultural icon that drew photographers and visitors to Amboseli, strengthening wildlife tourism and local economies.
- His calm demeanour became part of the Amboseli story told to generations of visitors, enhancing appreciation for elephant behavior and personality.
What Happens Next to His Remains?
Under Kenya’s wildlife laws (notably the Wildlife Conservation and Management Act), parts of iconic animals such as tusks can become government trophies preserved for posterity or museum display.
Craig’s tusks have been taken into custody by Kenya Wildlife Service and may be preserved at institutions like the National Museum of Kenya in Nairobi — joining other significant elephants such as the tusks of Tim, another super tusker that died in 2020.
Context: Amboseli’s Elephant Population
Amboseli National Park and its surrounding ecosystem are one of the most intensively studied elephant landscapes in the world. The Amboseli Elephant Research Project, initiated in 1972, has tracked the lives of individual elephants, providing unparalleled insight into elephant demography, social structures, and life histories — of which Craig was an exceptional part.
Expert Takeaway
Craig’s story encapsulates both the fragility and resilience of elephant populations in Kenya:
- Fragility: Super tuskers are now extremely rare, a direct consequence of past intensive poaching and ongoing human-wildlife pressures.
- Resilience: Strategic and collaborative conservation — involving KWS, local communities, researchers, and tourism stakeholders — can successfully protect even the most at-risk individuals.
Craig’s life and peaceful death offer hope and a benchmark for conservation efforts elsewhere in Africa. His legacy continues in the calves he sired, the scientific knowledge contributed through decades of observation, and the inspiration he provided to millions around the world.