Oh no! After Dida, another Kenya’s Super Tusker “Lugard” is dead
Barely three weeks after discovering the remains of the largest East African female tusker elephant, Dida at Tsavo East National Park, Kenya Wildlife Service announced the death of another celebrated Kenyan elephant, Lugard.
According to KWS, Lugard passed away from old age.
“It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to one of Tsavo’s iconic and majestic Super Tuskers named Lugard, who has just passed away from old age,” KWS said.
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Lugards’ carcass was discovered on Monday during a regular reconnaissance fly over Tsavo West National Park by the Conservation Officer and Pilot, Joseph Kimaile of the Tsavo Trust when they discovered Lugard’s 3-day-old remains.
The KWS and Tsavo Trust immediately launched an emergency ground response team to verify the situation where they found out that Lugard’s death was caused by natural causes relating to old age and that both tusks were found intact and subsequently recovered.
“There is no doubt that Lugard is the father of numerous elephants & is likely that his offspring will become Super Tuskers because of his rare “large tusk” genes. Nevertheless, it is always sad to lose an elephant, let alone a Super Tusker,” KWS said in a statement.
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In a determined approach to better safeguard these ambassadors of the elephant world, Tsavo Trust and KWS launched the Tsavo “Big Tusker Project” ten years ago, intending to provide more security and protection to the legendary Tuskers.
The death of Lugard comes as the country continues to experience a severe drought that has not spared the wildlife.
According to the recently released data by the Mistry of Tourism, 205 elephants succumbed to the drought.
Early this month, the government initiated plans to feed the wildlife animals by availing hay and water at the parks.
The move also comes as the government seeks to bring in a long-term solution to the perennial drought, including drilling more boreholes at the parks.
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