04/01/2026
RIP Gentle Magnificent Giant🌈🐘
Forever loved, Never Forgotten but Dearly missed.
It is with extremely heavy hearts that we share the news that Craig has died of natural causes. We know this loss will hit you as deeply as it does us.
Craig was an icon - a true ambassador for his species who touched the hearts of millions. He was unique in so many ways. The term super-tusker holds great significance for many, but Craig was so much more than his tusks. Ever the gentle giant, he embodied what it means to be an elephant: enduring, steadfast, patient, gentle, wise, and utterly beautiful. He was one for the ages and will go down in history.
In his 53+ years, Craig endured two devastating waves of poaching and several droughts that wiped out many of his kind, a shrinking ecosystem, and, in later years, the mass tourism that both disturbed and helped protect him. Through it all, he remained steady and calm.
Our hearts go out to the Amboseli Trust for Elephants, who knew him his entire life; to the Big Life Foundation, who went above and beyond to protect him; and to the Amboseli community, who rallied around him to ensure his safety.
It is sad to imagine Amboseli without Craig. It was as though he was was part of the landscape itself - constant, enduring and reassuring. His quiet presence beneath a familiar tree, sheltering from the midday heat, surrounded by his companions. Our hearts go out to them, as they must be feeling this loss more deeply than us all.
Rest in peace and power, Craig. 🖤🐘
