Last Photos Of The Legendary ‘Elephant Queen’ Before Her Death
Elephants are, without a doubt, one of the most majestic creatures walking the Earth. Despite being around 3m (9 feet 107⁄64 inches) tall and African elephants weighing about 6000kg (13,227 pounds) on average, they are gentle giants, known for their empathy and strong family bonds. Unfortunately, there are people in the world that don’t see the gentle nature in the animal when they look at them, they see a profit. ‘Save the Elephants’ report that research conducted between 2002 and 2011 by Maisels et al estimated that the world’s forest elephant population was reduced by 62%. The organization also reports that the increasing demand for ivory in the Far East is the primary reason for poaching.
This ‘Elephant Queen’ survived for over 60 years
As elephant numbers plummeted through the years, many countries put enormous effort into the conservation of their animals. Tsavo Trust and Kenya Wildlife Service are just a couple from many, and their mission is to conserve and manage the wildlife of the region. The two organizations partnered with a British photographer Will Burrard-Lucas to showcase the beautiful nature and animals in Tsavo.
The photographer recently shared the journey on his blog, detailing the efforts. The key subject of Burrard-Lucas’ photographs, however, was something that truly stood out from the crowd of other elephants.
“If there were a Queen of Elephants, it would surely have been her” Burrard-Lucas explained. What the photographer described is F_MU1, an extraordinary cow elephant with enormous two tusks. She is one of just a few elephants known as tusker (or super-tusker), a type of elephant that has genetic properties granting it great size and large tusks. They are rare and looked after, especially considering the fact that poachers kill elephants for their tusks.
“F_MU1 was skinny and old but she strode forward with stately grace. Her tusks were so long that they scraped the ground in front of her. She was like a relic from a bygone era” the photographer recalled the first time he laid his eyes on the Elephant Queen.
F_MU1 lived for over 60 years and led a peaceful life, managing to evade harm. “Her temperament was gentle and calm. Sometimes she would come so close to me that I could have touched her” Burrard-Lucas detailed his experience with the gentle giant.
Unfortunately, as Will was snapping shots of the elephants, an ongoing drought made it hard for the animals to survive, especially the younglings and elders. Food was scarce and it was probably a big contributor to the Elephant Queen’s passing a couple of weeks later.
Burrard-Lucas’ shots not only showcase how majestic and regal the old tusker looked like, it also celebrates her lengthy and peaceful existence and is a testament to the beauty of life that all the conservations protect. The photographs are featured in Will’s new book titled “Land of Giants” along different shots of Tsavo’s other iconic tuskers. The book is set to be released on 20th March.
Watch the video Burrard-Lucas captured of the day below
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Share on FacebookMajestic Queen. I will never understand how people can murder this gently and intelligent animals :(
They mourn their dead, they have burial grounds...they are so intelligent and loving...it's just such a tragedy.
Load More Replies...You can see she's starving, look at how sunken the sides of her head are. Really, really sad.
Nothing will change until we convince the Asian marketplace that African Poacher penis and spleen are guaranteed to cure erectile disfunction.
Beautiful damb shame people hurt them ,leave them on the land not on walls dead
what a cruel thing to shot any beautiful creatures for their body parts :,(
Thank you for this, I'm so happy to see these and also sad. What beautiful animals. I wish they also went after China for wanting the ivory.
Look at all the people here pretending that they care about animals.
A great lady, If we humans do not execute every damn trophy hunter, poacher, govt officials enablers of all types, then we are no better that these killers. Execution strip them give them no weapons and drop them into the middle of a pride of lions. This way they will feel the terror as they are killed. Lions get a nice meal, and the other animals will enjoy humans....I rather be around HIS animal friends than most humans.
What fantastic photographs! Sleep tight beautiful Elephant Queen. I think we may not see more like you, and mourn your passing.
Incredible animals..I just hope poachers die out before they do..I got to see an elephant at the zoo a few years ago, could not get over their size and the power in that huge body..
I love elephants! They amaze me! She was absolutely majestic in every way. I'm in complete awe of her beauty. May the generations remember the Queen.
9 feet is SMALL for an elephant. They usually stand 11-13 feet just at the shoulder, and then you can add another couple of feet for the head. And even that doesn't really give you an idea of how huge they are when you are up close to one. You have to move your head to look at both eyes. They're that big.
And when you think of the reason for chinese f*****s wanting tusks it's ridiculous and tragic, and p**s me off every time I think of it. The chinese actually believe, like the idiots they are, that rhino horns and elephant tusks ground up will stiffen their tiny teeny d***s up!! Or they wish to display their worst drug lord interior design flaws with tusks and whore house red drapes, maybe with a zebra skin as a carpet, and voila! Worst taste ever!!! Chinese - new money and no clue what to do with it! They should donate to wild life preserves rather than doing interior design. Save the african wild life!!
Who cares if people get killed by being stupid a@@holes around a majestic creature like an elephant! They deserve it.
Load More Replies...Majestic Queen. I will never understand how people can murder this gently and intelligent animals :(
They mourn their dead, they have burial grounds...they are so intelligent and loving...it's just such a tragedy.
Load More Replies...You can see she's starving, look at how sunken the sides of her head are. Really, really sad.
Nothing will change until we convince the Asian marketplace that African Poacher penis and spleen are guaranteed to cure erectile disfunction.
Beautiful damb shame people hurt them ,leave them on the land not on walls dead
what a cruel thing to shot any beautiful creatures for their body parts :,(
Thank you for this, I'm so happy to see these and also sad. What beautiful animals. I wish they also went after China for wanting the ivory.
Look at all the people here pretending that they care about animals.
A great lady, If we humans do not execute every damn trophy hunter, poacher, govt officials enablers of all types, then we are no better that these killers. Execution strip them give them no weapons and drop them into the middle of a pride of lions. This way they will feel the terror as they are killed. Lions get a nice meal, and the other animals will enjoy humans....I rather be around HIS animal friends than most humans.
What fantastic photographs! Sleep tight beautiful Elephant Queen. I think we may not see more like you, and mourn your passing.
Incredible animals..I just hope poachers die out before they do..I got to see an elephant at the zoo a few years ago, could not get over their size and the power in that huge body..
I love elephants! They amaze me! She was absolutely majestic in every way. I'm in complete awe of her beauty. May the generations remember the Queen.
9 feet is SMALL for an elephant. They usually stand 11-13 feet just at the shoulder, and then you can add another couple of feet for the head. And even that doesn't really give you an idea of how huge they are when you are up close to one. You have to move your head to look at both eyes. They're that big.
And when you think of the reason for chinese f*****s wanting tusks it's ridiculous and tragic, and p**s me off every time I think of it. The chinese actually believe, like the idiots they are, that rhino horns and elephant tusks ground up will stiffen their tiny teeny d***s up!! Or they wish to display their worst drug lord interior design flaws with tusks and whore house red drapes, maybe with a zebra skin as a carpet, and voila! Worst taste ever!!! Chinese - new money and no clue what to do with it! They should donate to wild life preserves rather than doing interior design. Save the african wild life!!
Who cares if people get killed by being stupid a@@holes around a majestic creature like an elephant! They deserve it.
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