An iconic elephant that spent decades roaming Kenya's Chyulu Hills died, prompting an outpouring of grief from wildlife lovers who had followed his story.
Known as One Ton, the tusker was remembered not only for his immense size and striking ivory but also for living long enough to become a symbol of the vanishing animal.
What happened?
The death was announced by wildlife photographer Beverly Joubert (@beverlyjoubert), who shared the story of One Ton's passing on Instagram.
"Kenya's Chyulu Hills are just a little bit quieter this week as we mourn the passing of One Ton," Joubert said, noting the elephant had spent over 50 years moving across the area's lava flows and grasslands.
Though poaching remains a threat to elephants in the region, Joubert said One Ton did not die violently. "Thankfully, his end was not a cruel one," she wrote. "He was found with his ivory intact, resting peacefully on his side on the grasslands where he spent much of his life."
Joubert added: "This is the end all elephants deserve, but not the one many of them get. As ivory poaching continues to reduce elephant numbers across the African continent, we will continue to fight so that these animals (and others like him) are given a safe space in which to thrive."
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Why does it matter?
One Ton's death reflects the continuing toll of the ivory trade. Elephants with massive tusks are uncommon since they are often killed for their ivory.
Large tuskers are extraordinary animals in their own right, but they also show what elephant populations can look like when they are allowed to live long lives in the wild.
Elephants also play major ecological roles in the landscapes they inhabit, so the loss of older animals can mean the loss of hard-earned survival knowledge within herds.
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