NAIROBI, July 7 (Xinhua) -- Kenya has lost one of its most iconic "super tuskers," a legendary elephant known as One Ton Tusk that died of natural causes, wildlife authorities have confirmed.
The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the state-funded wildlife management agency, said on Monday that the massive bull elephant, estimated to be between 50 and 60 years old, roamed the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem along the Kenya-Tanzania border.
The KWS said One Ton Tusk was part of a critically rare population of elephants distinguished by their exceptionally large tusks, which grow so long that they sweep the ground.
"The passing of One Ton Tusk marks the loss of an irreplaceable giant and the end of a significant chapter in Kenya's conservation history," it said in a statement.
According to the KWS, the iconic elephant was renowned for its massive size, magnificent long tusks, and calm demeanor, representing a rare generation of giant elephants that survived for decades in the wild while playing a vital role in Kenya's natural heritage and the ecological richness of the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem.
"Though this iconic bull no longer roams the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem, the legacy of One Ton Tusk endures as a reminder of the importance of conserving elephant populations and protecting the ecosystems that sustain them for generations to come," it added.
One Ton Tusk's death marks the second loss of an iconic super tusker in the Amboseli ecosystem this year, following the death of the 54-year-old Craig from natural causes in January. ■
