List of Big Tusker elephants of Amboseli National Park
- Johan Siggesson
- Oct 5
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 14
The Amboseli ecosystem, stretching across southern Kenya into northern Tanzania, is one of the last strongholds of the world’s big tuskers and super tuskers. These are elephants with massive tusks so large that each often weighs more than 100 pounds or 45 kg. No wonder Amboseli sometimes is known as "Land of Giants" Read more about Amboseli in this article ☞ See my full collection of elephant photography ☞
Fewer than a few dozen exist across Africa today, and Amboseli is, and has been home to some of the most famous. Below is a record of known bulls in this ecosystem, both those still alive and those we have lost. Many of my fine art elephant prints for sale were created in Amboseli over the years. A park I keep on returning to.
what is the difference between super tuskers and big tuskers?
Good question, and it’s one that even some conservation articles blur. The terms “super tusker” and “big tusker” are related but not identical. Here’s the clear distinction used by most conservationists and elephant monitoring projects such as the Amboseli Trust for Elephants and Big Life Foundation:
Super tuskers are the rarest of the rare. Each tusk weighs over 100 pounds (45 kilograms), sometimes long enough to brush the ground. These bulls are true legends of the savanna, representing exceptional genetics and decades of survival. Fewer than a few dozen remain in all of Africa today.
Examples of super tuskers: Tim, Craig, Tolstoy, Paolo, Vronsky, Per.
Big tuskers, on the other hand, are elephants with very large ivory that hasn’t yet crossed the 100-pound threshold. They may have one tusk heavier than the other, or both just below the mark. Many younger bulls in Amboseli fall into this category. Still giants in every sense, but not yet classed as super tuskers.
Examples of big tuskers: Tee Jay, Michael, Wikstrom, One Ton, X-004, Esau
Super tusker = each tusks weighs 100lbs/45kg or more.
Big tusker = impressive ivory but below or near that threshold.
Quick Overview
Name | Birth year (month if known) | Death year | Cause of death |
1972 | – | Alive | |
Esau | Dec 1990 | – | Alive |
Tee Jay | 1988 | – | Alive |
Vronsky | Dec 1976 | – | Alive |
May 1991 | – | Alive | |
Wikstrom | Mar 1983 | – | Alive |
Per | Unknown | – | Alive |
Pascal | Jan 1980 | – | Alive |
One Ton | Unknown (first recorded 1996) | – | Alive |
X-004 | Unknown | – | Alive |
Tim | Jan 1969 | 2020 | Natural causes (old age) |
Tolstoy | 1971 | 2022 | Natural causes (abscessed molar) |
Paolo | Nov 1979 | 2025 | Natural causes |
Gilgil | Dec 1987 | 2023 | Trophy hunting (Tanzania) |
Living Tuskers of Amboseli
Craig
Born: 1972
Perhaps the most photographed elephant alive today, Craig is the undisputed icon of Amboseli. With his sweeping tusks that nearly graze the ground, he embodies the very idea of the super tusker. Now in his fifties, he moves with a measured calm, often seen around Kimana Sanctuary or deeper in Amboseli National Park. Craig has inspired countless conservation stories and remains the face of Amboseli’s living giants.
Esau
Born: 1990
Collared in 2024 by the Amboseli Trust for Elephants and Big Life Foundation, Esau is one of the most closely watched bulls in the ecosystem. His tusks are impressive, and his life is particularly precarious because he often crosses into Tanzania where hunting quotas still exist. Esau carries a unique heritage too: he is a nephew of the famed matriarch Echo, whose family was featured in multiple documentaries.
Tee Jay
Born: 1988
In his prime and still growing into his full stature, Tee Jay is seen as one of the rising stars among Amboseli’s tuskers. Conservationists have noted his strong genetics and presence, with hopes that he may one day take Craig’s place as one of the truly towering bulls. He moves widely through the ecosystem, appearing in Amboseli National Park and the surrounding community lands.
Vronsky
Born: 1976
In 2024, Big Life Foundation officially confirmed Vronsky as a super tusker. His massive ivory and sturdy build make him an unmistakable figure when encountered on the plains. He is still relatively under the radar compared to Craig, but his recognition as a super tusker shows that the Amboseli lineage of giants continues.
Michael
Born: 1991
Michael is an up-and-coming tusker, sometimes described as an emerging super tusker. While not yet in the same league as Craig or the late Tim, his tusks are already striking. Many photographers and guides keep a close eye on him as one of the bulls who may define the next generation.
Wickstrom / Wikstrom
Born: 1983
Born in March 1983 to Willa of the WA family, Wikstrom has grown into one of Amboseli’s most striking tuskers. His symmetrical ivory makes him stand out even among giants, and in recent years he has been noted as being in his prime. Unlike Craig or Tim, whose fame reached far beyond Kenya, Wikstrom is less widely known but highly respected by those who encounter him in the field. His presence is a reminder that Amboseli’s legacy of tuskers continues into a new generation, with bulls that still carry the weight of history and the promise of future genes.
Pascal
Born: 1980
Pascal was born in January 1980. He is often named among Kenya’s “big tuskers,” sometimes mentioned in safari blogs as being nearly on par in fame with Craig. His strong tusks and enduring presence make him a favorite of photographers and guides alike. Though not always as prominent in mainstream narratives as Craig or Tim, Pascal holds his place as one of Amboseli’s more visible tuskers to those in the field.
Per
Born: Unknown
Per is another of Amboseli’s current super tuskers, often mentioned alongside Craig and Pascal. His build is heavier and broader, with a wide head and deep-set eyes that give him a distinctive appearance. Per has been photographed regularly in the Amboseli ecosystem and is recognised by conservationists as one of the remaining bulls with tusks exceeding the 100-pound threshold. While less widely known to the public than Craig or Tim, he is an established presence in the Amboseli population and plays an important role in carrying forward the rare genetics of the super tuskers.
One ton / One-Ton
Born: Unknown
Among the Amboseli bulls, few had a name as memorable as One Ton. He earned it for the sheer size and weight of his ivory, which seemed almost impossibly heavy when seen in profile. One Ton was a striking figure, instantly recognisable by his massive tusks and imposing stature. Though not as widely photographed as Craig or Tim, he was well known to researchers and guides in the ecosystem. His unusual name gave him a certain mythic quality, and he remains part of the lore of Amboseli’s great tuskers, a reminder that even in science and conservation, awe often finds its way into how we remember individual animals.
X-004
Born: Unknown
Unlike many of Amboseli’s bulls who carry memorable names, X-004 is known primarily by his research ID. He is one of the living tuskers monitored by the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, distinguished by his sweeping ivory that qualifies him as a super tusker. Though his exact birth year and lineage have not been publicly released, his presence in the ecosystem is well documented through field monitoring. X-004 represents the quieter side of Amboseli’s giants: individuals who may never gain the fame of Craig or Tim, yet whose genes and survival are just as vital for the future of the population.
Famous Tuskers We Have Lost
Tim
Born: 1969 | Died: 2020 | Cause: Natural Causes
One of the most beloved elephants in the world, Tim passed away of natural causes in February 2020. He was in his fifties and had lived a full life, his sweeping tusks making him instantly recognizable. Tim had survived poaching threats, spear wounds, and years of living in a perilous landscape. In death, he became a symbol of both loss and hope, reminding us of the fragility of these giants and the resilience of those who survive.
Tolstoy
Born: 1971 | Died: 2022 | Cause: Natural Causes
Tolstoy died in April 2022 at around 51 years of age. He was another Amboseli bull whose tusks placed him among the greats. His death, like Tim’s, marked the passing of a generation of elephants that had grown up under increasing conservation protection but still carried the memory of harder times.
Paolo
Born: 1979 | Died: 2025 | Cause: Natural Causes
News broke in early 2025 of the death of Paolo, another of Amboseli’s tuskers. His loss struck particularly hard because it came at a time when so few of these bulls remain. Paolo’s story is a reminder that even with strong protection inside Kenya, natural causes and risks beyond park boundaries still thin the ranks of these giants.
Gilgil
Born: 1987 | Died: 2023 | Cause: Killed by trophy hunters
Gilgil’s death in September 2023 sparked outrage. He was a 35-year-old tusker, identified by Amboseli Trust for Elephants, and killed by trophy hunters across the border in Tanzania’s Enduimet Wildlife Management Area. With tusks exceeding 100 pounds, he had all the potential to become one of the legendary super tuskers of East Africa. His killing highlighted the dangers of transboundary movement and reignited calls for tighter hunting restrictions.
Why is this list important?
The Amboseli ecosystem has only around ten confirmed super tuskers left. Every death narrows a genetic bottleneck that is already fragile. Each living bull is a living archive of Africa’s ancient natural heritage, carrying a weight that is cultural as much as biological.
By keeping track of these elephants, we acknowledge their place not only in conservation history but also in the human imagination. For many visitors, seeing Craig or Tim was a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, something that could never be replicated. For photographers like myself, these encounters are a chance to tell stories that remind the world what is at stake.