In Africa the sight of a tusker is incredibly special and rare.

Recent estimates suggest as few as 30 of these magnificent elephants still survive. The gene pool that is responsible for the giant tusks is incredibly small with just isolated pockets in East Africa and South Africa still remaining. Often these few elephants that bear these massive tusks are found living close together, a band of survivors, a band of brothers holding the key to a disappearing gene. When you see them together it is a sight not easily forgotten

I remember the first tusker I ever saw, a gentle giant called “Mabarule” (ironically meaning big feet) in South Africa’s Kruger National Park. My wife, Monique, and I stayed with him for 6 hours staring in disbelief at the huge tusks that he bore, the larger of which continually scrapped on the ground. We watched as the old bull would lift his heavy burden into the fork of a tree and rest his head taking the weight off his neck and shoulders. The sight of this elephant was the beginning of a love affair, a quest to see more of his kind and to spend more time with these sentient beings.

A male elephant continues to grow his whole life and as he gets older the speed at which his tusks grow gets quicker so that his burden is greatest right at the end of his life. With this burden of weight comes the burden of being the most sought after target of the crosshairs of the poachers or hunters gun.

Sadly, the hunting and poaching of these huge tuskers has resulted in many elephant herds becoming tusk-less as genetically these tusk-less elephants are now forming the bulk of many populations due to their relatives with tusks being shot to oblivion.

Wherever I have had the privilege of spending time with huge elephant bulls I have always been struck by how docile these animals are. It makes the whole persecution of these animals that much more upsetting, for the elephants that are most persecuted by humans, appear to be the most accepting of us in their space.  

Available Sizes

Exhibition: 173cm x 116cm (68” x 45.5”) – AED 39,144
Large: 146 cm x 105 cm (57.5 ” x 41.5″) – AED 32,214
Classic: 118cm x 79cm (46.5” x 31”) – AED 24,402

Available Editions
Exhibition: 12
Large: 12
Classic: 12