First, the good news: Craig is fine. But last week, we were not so sure.

A worried message came from one of Angama Amboseli’s guides in Kimana Sanctuary, and our hearts sank. Craig, one of Africa’s last tuskers, was down.

His breathing was sporadic and he was in severe discomfort. All the symptoms suggested ‘twisted gut’, something we’ve seen before. In 2020, one of Amboseli’s other well-known tuskers named Tim died at the age of 51 from the same condition.

The cause is suspected to be intestinal obstruction or an abrupt change in diet, which happens as pasture greens up with the onset of the rains. In severe cases, survival is slim, and there is nothing that can be done about it.

Big Life rangers took shifts through the night with him and come morning he appeared slightly better. With a vet on standby, our teams continued to monitor his bowel movements. An elephant-sized dose of buscopan has been shown to be effective, but administering it requires tranquilization, a risky procedure on an already suffering animal.

For a period, he moved into a swamp inaccessible on foot, so our drone unit was put to use photographing elephant dung. 24 hours later, the worst had passed, and we’re happy to report that he seems to have recovered completely without intervention.

According to the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, Craig was born in 1972 (~53 years old). He is a symbol of conservation success, having spent a long life carrying enormous tusks that make him as famous as they put him at risk. His peaceful demeanor has endeared him to local communities and visitors from around the world.

Craig is certainly into his twilight years but we’re happy to report that for now, the rumors of his death are nothing more than that… rumors.

Our rangers will continue to monitor Craig, but we depend on you to keep them in the field. Thanks to you, tuskers like Craig and all of Amboseli’s wildlife stays safe.