It was a sad day at the Amboseli National Park on Tuesday, February 4 when one of the few remaining great “tusker” elephants passed away at the age of 50.
Tim, one of the most-loved and mischievous elephants of the park, died of natural causes, reports BBC.
The body of Tim, an African elephant with long tusks, was sent to a taxidermist in Nairobi so that it can go on display.
Kenyan Wildlife Service (KWS) in a statement remembered Tim and said:
Tim was well known and loved throughout the country.
Not only one of the most affectionate elephants of the park, Tim was also the naughtiest.
He was speared thrice in his entire life for his crop-raiding habits. Moreover, he made 183 attempts to enter farmlands and raid crops.
Despite specially placing a collar to protect him from all possible threats, Tim almost died last year after getting stuck in a muddy swamp.
But he was later rescued by the KWS along with an animal protection group.
Former Save the Elephants field assistant Ryan Wilkie remembered Tim and said:
Tim was a special elephant – not just to me but to hundreds, thousands of people who would flock to Amboseli just for the chance to see him. He was so incredibly intelligent, mischievous, yes, but also a truly gentle giant and in that way a real ambassador for his species.
Tim leaves behind his uncle Tolstoy, his nephew Townsend and his companion Craig, who are the last few remaining great “tusker” elephants in all of Africa.
The number of elephants has dwindled in the past few years mainly due to poaching, hunting and encroachment cases rising sharply.