Like living relics from a bygone era, the last of Africa’s big tusker elephants roam in a vast, remote wilderness in Kenya. In partnership with the Tsavo Trust NGO and the Kenya Wildlife Service, Will Burrard-Lucas spent months photographing these rare animals. His series of intimate portraits are captured in his book, Land of Giants
Will Burrard-Lucas in partnership with Tsavo Trust
Main image: F_MU1, a big tusker elephant who lived a peaceful life in a quiet corner of Tsavo in Kenya for more than 60 years. Photograph: Will Burrard-Lucas in partnership with Tsavo Trust
Wed 20 Mar 2019 05.00 EDT Last modified on Fri 29 Oct 2021 07.41 EDT
Meet LU1, a male big tusker and one of the stars of the book. His longer tusk is likely to weigh more than 59kg (130lbs). Tsavo in Kenya is home to some of the last remaining big tuskers – elephants with tusks weighing more than 45kg on each side. Experts believe there are fewer than 20 of these elephants left, and almost half of them are in Tsavo Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
LU1 emerging from a forest. Many big tuskers live in remote, inaccessible areas and are rarely photographed. For the book, Tsavo Trust helped Will Burrard-Lucas track down and photograph two cow tuskers and four bull tuskers, including LU1, the largest of all Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
WS1, another male big tusker, photographed at sunset. A couple of years ago, he was almost killed by a poacher’s poisoned arrow. Fortunately he was found and treated by Kenya Wildlife Service Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Black and white photography enables Burrard-Lucas to highlight the shadows and texture of the elephant’s skin Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
For more than 60 years, F_MU1 lived a peaceful life in a quiet corner of Tsavo. She died of natural causes shortly after this picture was taken Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
F_MU1 had a proper name, but it is also the name of the place she was found. To ensure the security of elephants in that location, only codes are used in public Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
F_MU1 survived periods of prolific poaching. Many conservationists deemed it a victory that her life was not ended prematurely by a snare, bullet or poisoned arrow Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
