• Dida, about age 65, was one of Africa's oldest and largest female tuskers.
• The Kenya Wildlife Service the Matriarch died in Tsavo East National Park of of natural causes brought on by old age.
One of the Africa’s largest and oldest female elephants has died at the expansive Tsavo East National Park.
The Kenya Wildlife Service announced that a matriarch called Dida had rested.
“We are saddened by the death of Dida, who was possibly Africa’s largest female Tusker and a matriarch residing in KWS Tsavo East National Park.
She died from natural causes due to old age having lived a full life to about 60-65 years old,” KWS said in a statement on Tuesday.
KWS said Dida was a truly an iconic matriarch of Tsavo and a great repository of many decades worth of knowledge. She shepherded her herd through many seasons and challenging times.
“She served as both the subject of various documentaries and an iconic tourist attraction.
Those who got to know her through pictures and videos as well as those who had the exquisite pleasure of meeting her in person will remember her. Rest Well, Dida,” KWS said.
In 2020, Tim, another majestic super Tusker elephant of Amboseli, died.
The service said Tim died in Mada area of Amboseli National Park at the age of 50.
KWS had announced that the body of the giant elephant was on its way to the National Museum in Nairobi.
He said the taxidermist will prepare the body for education and exhibition purposes.
Tim was one of Africa's last big Tusker elephants that roamed in the vast remote wilderness of Southern Kenya.
Some years back, Tim the great patriarch of Amboseli National Park, was struck on the head with a large rock.
Further, it was pierced through the ear with a spear, the tip of which was embedded in his shoulder.
Following the injury inflicted on him, Tim worked his way to the headquarters of the Big Life Foundation, a non-profit outfit and AWF partner dedicated to the conservation of elephants in southern Kenya.
He seemed as if he had sought out humans who could assist him.
Tim was sedated, treated and taken back to the Amboseli marsh in fairly short order.
Within a very short time, he was back in the Amboseli Marsh.
It is suspected the injuries Tim sustained came from an attempted poaching incident.
The demand for ivory has often driven the iconic species towards extinction.
Elephants are poached for their ivory, and Tim’s tusks were among the biggest in all of Africa.
Elephant families are matriarchal and the males are solitary from the group when they reach sexual maturity.
Tim was, however, always welcome to travel in the company of females and their families. He was unassuming, unpretentious and laid back.
"A benevolent, slow moving preserver of the peace at Amboseli, he was well known and loved throughout the country," KWS said about Tim.
According to Tsavo Trust, there are few places on Earth where one can glimpse one of the remaining Super Tuskers – the remnants of the world’s most majestic mega fauna.
“Tsavo, situated in the south and eastern section of Kenya, nestled almost equidistant from Nairobi and Mombasa, two of Kenya’s largest cities and the current and former capital respectively, is just one of these places,” Tsavo Trust said
The Trust said Tsavo, split between Tsavo East National Park and Tsavo West National Park as well as the various conservancies in and around it, is home to 13,000 elephants.
These elephants make up 40 per cent of Kenya’s entire elephant population.
And within this 13,000-strong population, separated by herd allegiances, lone bulls, and a vast territory, are approximately 10 Super Tusker Bulls.
In addition to these 10, there are approximately 33 Emerging Tusker Bulls: young males with the potential of being the next Super Tuskers.
The lives of these elephants are fraught with danger. They are, however, preyed on constantly by poachers due to the astronomical value of just one of their tusks. A single tusk from a Super Tusker, which could weigh over 50kg, is worth around $25,000 – more once it has been carved.
The Trust said these beautiful, majestic, incredible and scary animals need help. According to the census report, Kenya has a total of 36,280 savanna elephants, becoming the fourth largest population in the world after Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Tanzania.
The devastating drought has, however, seen 273 elephants lost.
Tsavo is the worst affected, 81 elephants have died followed by Samburu with 67 and Isiolo with 57. In the Amboseli ecosystem, some 22 elephants have been lost and 36 in Laikipia.
Ten elephants have died in Marsabit.
(Edited by V. Graham)