Dida, possibly the largest female tusker elephant in Africa, has sadly passed away from natural causes. The beloved elephant, who lived her life protected and free from harm in Tsavo East National Park in Kenya, was believed to be between 60 and 65 years old, well within the range of wild elephant's natural life –
an age that most elephants never get to see because of threats like cruel poaching. All elephants deserve the safety and comfort that Dida had – which is exactly why the IUCN must ramp up its efforts to protect big tuskers!
Sign now to demand the IUCN bolster efforts to protect "Big Tuskers" and all elephants from poaching so that they may live long, happy lives like Dida!It's estimated that
up to 100 African elephants are killed every day, slaughtered by poachers who will rip their bodies to pieces in order to sell ivory, meat, and other parts for profit in the illegal wildlife trade. Cutting these beautiful lives short not only robs elephant herds of their deep community bonds; poaching threatens the very stability of the entire African elephant species. And tusker elephants (those whose tusks are so large they drag on the ground) like Dida are obviously prized by these greed-driven killers – the ivory she carried was incredibly valuable – making it a miracle that she made it to the end of her natural life.
So, while it is of course deeply sad that Dida passed away,
one of the most important takeaways from her beautiful story is how meaningful of a life an elephant can live if given the protection from poachers and other human-made threats. Dida inspired hope that we can protect these beloved creatures from harm, and we must do just that.
In honor of Dida, the International Union for Conservation of Nature must bolster their efforts to protect "Big Tuskers" and all elephants from poaching. Sign the petition now if you agree! 