Overview
- Kenya Wildlife Service, the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, and the Big Life Foundation confirmed Craig’s death on January 3 in the greater Amboseli ecosystem.
- Rangers reported he collapsed multiple times overnight and could not rise at 03:32 in the Olgulului community area adjacent to the park.
- Preliminary field observations point to severe tooth wear as the likely cause, with a full post-mortem examination pending.
- The death reduces an already small cohort of giants, with only nine known super tuskers remaining in Amboseli.
- Craig’s longevity reflected sustained anti-poaching, habitat protection, and community stewardship as Kenya’s elephant population rose from 36,280 in 2021 to 42,072 in 2025.