A personal farewell to Craig of Amboseli, and a reflection on photography as a record of moments that will never return.

On my last day in Amboseli, I searched for Craig with Kilimanjaro behind him before leaving for Laikipia.

In September, I head to Kenya in search of icons: Craig the elephant and Giza, the elusive black leopard of Laikipia.

Craig is no longer with us At 3:32 AM on 4 January 2026, Craig, Amboseli’s most recognisable tusker, died at the age of 54. He had experienced serious digestive issues in November 2025, which he recovered from, but deteriorated again and collapsed intermittently before lying down in the early hours and not rising. Evidence suggests age related tooth wear limited his ability to process food, a natural end faced by many older elephants. Amboseli in Kenya is one of those places