Boasting enormous tusks that weigh over 100lb (45kg) each, ‘super tusker’ elephants are an awesome sight to behold – but today, there are less than 90 of these majestic animals in all of Africa.
Decades of hunting have all but eradicated Africa’s super tuskers, whose tusks are often so long they reach the ground. Now, blood-thirsty poachers and trophy hunters want to wipe them out for good.
Less than 90 ‘super tusker’ elephants remain in Africa. Poachers and hunters want to kill them.
This is the fate of a super tusker in Africa. Credit: Africa Geographic
In the last 100 years, 90% of all African elephants have been wiped out. Of those that remain, less than 90 individuals are ‘super tuskers’ – elephants with a rare gene that causes their tusks to grow to staggering sizes.
Only a very small minority carry the gene – and even then, it takes at least 40 years for their tusks to become full grown.
The last super tuskers could soon be wiped out. It is East Africa’s dry season, and the super tuskers are traveling with thousands of other elephants through wildlife corridors between Kenya and Tanzania searching for food and water. As they cross these vast areas, they are extremely vulnerable to being killed by hunters or poachers.
Super tuskers are prime targets for trophy hunters and poachers. Credit: Africa Geographic (left); Game Animals of the Past and Present (right)
While all the region’s elephants face constant threats, super tuskers are especially targeted by ivory poachers and trophy hunters, who see them as a ‘big ticket’ prize.
Desperate elephants are facing deadly threats from all sides. They need all the protection they can get – and we have a way to help them.
After decades of excessive hunting and poaching, fewer than 30 super tuskers remain in East Africa. Credit: iStock/Simon Skafar
We are working with Conservation Through Tourism (CTT), a specialized team dedicated to safeguarding these elephants. Over the past 13 months, CTT has responded to 981 elephant-related incidents, saving countless lives. It is also the only team in the area capable of protecting elephants at night – the most dangerous time for elephants – thanks to advanced anti-poaching technology.
When our partner is alerted to a potential threat, it immediately dispatches teams with all-weather thermal imaging drones to investigate. If an elephant faces an immediate threat, the ground team rushes in.
By keeping the elephants away from human-populated areas and hunting zones, CTT drastically reduces the animals’ risk of being illegally poached, shot by trophy hunters, or killed by the authorities for damaging human settlements.
Our partner is successfully protecting super tuskers and other elephants in three key wildlife corridors – but two pathways are still unprotected.
To ensure comprehensive protection for the elephants, the team needs additional drones.
Thousands of elephants travel between Kenya and Tanzania through wildlife corridors, crossing vast landscapes in search of water and food. This can put them at risk of injury, death, or being shot. Super tuskers are especially vulnerable because their large tusks are highly prized. Credit: Project Kazi Ya Tembo (“Working with Elephants” in Swahili) by CTT. Credits: CTT
Each drone costs $9,000 (around £6,780). Ultimately, our partner needs nine more drones, and every additional unit brings us closer to full protection.
If the last remaining super tuskers are killed, their rare genetics will be lost forever. We must help right away.
Super tusker ‘Mkungunero,’ named after the area in Tanzania where he spends much of his time, is one of the thousands of elephants that our partner works hard to protect every day. Credit: CTT
Please, donate now, and help us protect East Africa’s last remaining super tusker elephants.
