#Repost @sheldricktrust —— Africa lost one of its giants this week. In 1971, an elephant was born in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro. He was nurtured in the bosom of his family, discovering the Amboseli ecosystem that would be his kingdom for 51 years. This little bull would grow up to become one of the most iconic elephants in Kenya. With ivory that swept the grass beneath his feet, Tolstoy was a living natural wonder and one of the last remaining great tuskers in Africa. Through ivory poaching crises and devastating droughts, shrinking habitats and the encroaching human footprint, he prevailed. He was a leviathan, a reminder of all that nature is capable of creating — but in the end, it was the simple tip of a spear that claimed his life. Six weeks ago, Tolstoy was reported with a spear wound to his front leg, which was likely inflicted by a farmer protecting his crops. Big bulls have big appetites, and as wild spaces continue to shrink and resources become scarce, crop-raiding and the resultant human-wildlife conflict have emerged as challenging issues. Tolstoy was treated at the time and then monitored around the clock by Big Life Rangers. On the morning of 27th April, they found him recumbent in the heart of Kimana Sanctuary. Complications from the wound had weakened his condition, and he was unable to get back to his feet. The moment Big Life raised the alarm, our helicopter rushed the SWT/KWS Mobile Vet Unit directly to the scene. A seven-hour battle to save our giant friend ensued, as vets, rangers, and pilots worked tirelessly to bring him to his feet. When vehicles and ropes didn’t work, a front-loader was brought in as a last ditch effort. After creating a pillow of earth to help lever him up from the ground, the loader was then used as a crane. Tolstoy fought hard to live. Understanding he was being helped, he strained alongside his rescue team to battle the odds. He came very close, but after each struggle you could see his strength ebbing away. We were all left to face the grim reality that this majestic animal was never going to stride across the plains of Amboseli again. In the day's fading light, Tolstoy drew his last breath. https://www.instagram.com/p/CdA7nH1OCI8/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=
