By Jameson
The Kenya Wildlife Service has announced plans to preserve Craig, the iconic Amboseli National Park super tusker, through a professional taxidermy process following his death earlier this month at the age of 54.
In a statement released on Tuesday, KWS said the taxidermy preservation process is already underway and is aimed at conserving Craig’s physical form for long term educational, scientific, and public exhibition purposes.
Craig, born in January 1972 to the famed matriarch Cassandra of the CB elephant family, was one of Africa’s last remaining super tuskers, a rare class of elephants whose tusks weigh more than 45 kilograms each. With only a handful of such elephants left on the continent, Craig had become a global symbol of Africa’s natural heritage and conservation success.
KWS noted that Craig’s exceptional ecological, scientific, and cultural value informed the decision to undertake taxidermy preservation, which involves the careful treatment and mounting of his skin and physical features to create a lifelike display.
“Craig’s life exemplified the success of collective conservation efforts. Through taxidermy preservation, we are ensuring that his legacy endures beyond his lifetime, offering future generations a tangible connection to Kenya’s rich wildlife heritage,” said KWS Director General Prof. Erustus Kanga.
During his lifetime, Craig fathered numerous calves, contributing significantly to the continuity of his genetic lineage within the Amboseli ecosystem. He was also widely admired for his calm and gentle demeanor, attributes that made him a powerful ambassador for Amboseli National Park and a symbol of sustained protection, monitoring, and community collaboration led by KWS and its partners.
Once completed, the taxidermy mount will be housed at a designated facility for public viewing, education, and conservation awareness. KWS said further details on the location and timeline for public access will be communicated in due course.
