OUR WEEKLY CONSERVATION NEWSLETTER
RIP Craig + secret season Mara
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From our CEO – Simon Espley
Super tusker Craig’s death serves as a reminder of why these gentle giants are so crucial for human society. I am not talking about their immense genetic importance to Loxodonta africana, their essential roles in elephant society, or the significant revenue generated for local people by tourists seeking to meet these sentient ambassadors.
No, I am referring to their importance for mankind’s soul.
Observe, if you will, how we fixate on dinosaurs, sabre-toothed cats, woolly mammoths, dodos and other extinct creatures. We dig up their remains to study and display them, we try to re-engineer them, and we make movies about them. We wish and fantasise that we were around when these creatures roamed Earth, as if we would have done something to prevent their demise. Each time a species disappears, we humans lose a part of our collective soul.
Well, the last remaining large-tusked elephants roam parts of Africa right now, and ivory poachers and trophy hunters are picking them off. Are we as a species going to allow these icons of Africa to disappear, and then worship at their grave sites, with those of us fortunate enough to meet a super tusker reminiscing about the good old days? Time will tell.
You can help prevent that from happening:
- Embark on a responsible journey to view tuskers, crafted with care to benefit local people and support effective conservation operations. We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari booking to well-run conservation organisations, including the Tsavo Trust, via our Guarding Tuskers campaign.
- Reject the unproven claims by trophy hunters that killing the remaining tuskers is ‘sustainable’ and placing commercial and emotional pressure on them and decision-makers to stop the killing
- Share accurate information about the plight of tuskers with your friends and social media network so that they, too, can make informed decisions
Safari njema, my friends
Simon Espley – CEO, Africa Geographic
Click below to listen to this editorial
From our Editor – Taryn van Jaarsveld
A new year has a way of nudging us awake early, full of plans and good intentions. Out in the mountains, though, nature offers a gentler lesson. At the height of summer in the southern hemisphere, the dawn chorus is in full swing. Yet even here, not everyone rushes to greet the day.
New research from the University of the Free State shows that three warblers studied in South Africa’s Golden Gate National Park happily delay their sunrise songs when mornings are too cold. These small birds wait until conditions make sense, saving their energy for when it counts. It is a useful reminder for the year ahead. By all means, start early and seize the day. Just remember that knowing when to pause, warm up, and try again later can be just as wise.
This week, we reflect on the passing of super tusker Craig in the Amboseli ecosystem, and step into the shifting light and life that can be found in the Maasai Mara outside of peak season: during the Little Rains. Check out these stories below.
Yours in wild adventure,
Did you know? Your African safari choice makes a difference
We donate a portion of the revenue from every safari sold to carefully selected conservation projects that make a significant difference at ground level. YOUR African safari choice does make a difference – thank you!
Our stories this week
FAREWELL TO TUSKER CRAIG
Craig, one of Africa’s last iconic super tuskers, has died of natural causes in Amboseli, Kenya
MAASAI MARA RAINS
A photographic journey through Kenya’s Maasai Mara during the secret season’s Little Rains
Travel Desk – 2 African safari ideas
Kenya’s Super Tuskers – 9 days
Journey to Kenya’s spectacular Tsavo and Amboseli in search of the great tusked elephants that define Africa’s vast open landscapes. Alongside meaningful time with these gentle giants, you will seek out Tsavo’s famous maneless lions, the extraordinary gerenuk, the hirola (the world’s rarest antelope) and a rich array of other wildlife. Witness hippos and crocodiles from a glass-fronted underwater chamber at a crystal-clear spring, observe the feeding of orphaned elephants, and stay alert for the elusive, rarely seen striped hyena. Time spent with tuskers is an investment in your soul.
Maasai Mara specialist photographic safari, Kenya – 9 days
Fancy a guided photographic safari in Kenya’s Maasai Mara? Join award-winning photographer Arnfinn Johansen on this exclusive safari for four guests. Highlights include guided game drives with an experienced Maasai guide in a modified photographic vehicle and accommodation at Oltepesi Tented Safari Camp. Departure Dates: 20–28 November 2026.
Still dreaming of the ultimate African safari escape? Browse our safaris ideas here. Or click here to plan your safari.
Meet super tusker SO1
First identified in 2014, super tusker SO1 is instantly recognisable: a small mole on his ear, a hole in the lower lobe, and one tusk – the left – much longer than the right. Now around 40–45 years old, he roams Tsavo with the unmistakable authority of a true tusker
When in musth, SO1 ranges widely in search of females – a reminder of the restless, high-stakes lives led by Tsavo’s great tuskers.
We’ve partnered with Tsavo Trust to help protect some of Africa’s last remaining giants. Fewer than 100 tuskers are thought to survive across the continent, and at least eight still call Tsavo home. These rare elephants – whose tusks brush the ground – are prime targets for poachers and trophy hunters beyond Kenya’s borders.
You can help keep SO1 and others like him safe. Support Tsavo Trust through our Guarding Tuskers campaign and enable vital aerial and ground patrols to continue safeguarding these magnificent elephants.
WATCH – AFRICAN SAFARI INSPIRATION:
Deep in Botswana lies the Okavango Delta, one of Africa’s richest wildernesses. Renowned for dense predator populations and abundant plains game, it offers ethical off-road tracking, walking safaris, night drives, and mokoro excursions. Explore the Delta with Africa Geographic, where wildlife thrives in its purest form. (01:49) Click here to watch
Cover image: Gentle giant Craig, a super tusker of Amboseli, photographed in his prime. Craig died of natural causes this week. Amboseli National Park, Kenya. © Hesté de Beer – Photographer of the Year 2025 entry
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