Isilo (elephant) facts for kids

Isilo was a very famous African bush elephant from South Africa. He was known as a "tusker" because his amazing tusks were super long and heavy! Before he passed away in 2014, he was one of the biggest elephants in South Africa and the largest living tusker in the southern part of the world.

Even though Isilo died naturally due to old age, his death became big news around the world. This was because his huge tusks, which were considered a special national treasure, went missing when his body was found.

Who Was Isilo?

Isilo was an African elephant who lived in Tembe Elephant Park in South Africa. His name, "Isilo," means "King" in the Zulu language. He was born around the late 1950s, which means he was about 58 years old when he died.

Isilo was a giant! He weighed between 6.5 and 7 tonnes, which is like weighing 10-12 small cars. His tusks were also incredibly long, measuring more than 3 meters (about 9 feet). The right tusk weighed around 65 kilograms (143 pounds), and the left one was about 60 kilograms (132 pounds).

The Mystery of Isilo's Death

Isilo passed away from natural causes, likely due to his old age. He died in an area of the park he often called home, around January 10, 2014. However, his body was not found until late March 2014. His death was officially announced on April 4, 2014, by the park managers.

When Isilo's body was discovered, his magnificent tusks were gone. It seemed they had been removed sometime between his death and the discovery of his body. It is thought that people who illegally hunt animals, sometimes called poachers, might have taken them. These tusks might have been taken across the border into Mozambique, where ivory is often sent to places like the Far East.

Isilo's tusks were very valuable. They were estimated to be worth a lot of money if sold illegally.

Why Isilo's Death Mattered

Isilo's death caught the attention of news outlets all over the world. This was because he was a very famous elephant, and his tusks were considered a special part of South Africa's history and nature.

The tusks were also important to the Tembe clan, who are part owners and caretakers of the Tembe Elephant Park. Inkosi Mabhudu Tembe, the chief of the Tembe clan, had hoped to display the tusks at the King Shaka International Airport in Durban. This would have helped promote tourism to the area. In April 2014, Inkosi Tembe even offered a reward for anyone who could help find the missing tusks.

Other Famous Tuskers

Isilo was not the only famous elephant known for his huge tusks. In June 2014, another giant elephant named Satao was killed by poachers in Tsavo East National Park in Kenya. Satao was the biggest tusker in East Africa, with tusks as large as Isilo's. His death also saddened many people who cared about wildlife.

Books and Films About Isilo

Isilo is mentioned in two books written by Dr. Johan Marais. Dr. Marais believes that the largest elephants in the world can be found in Tembe National Elephant Park.

• Marais, Johan (2008) Great Tuskers of Africa
• Marais, Johan (2011) In Search of Africa’s Great Tuskers

James Currie, an expert on wildlife from around the world, was the last person to film Isilo before the elephant passed away. In 2016, Currie started a project to make a documentary called Last of the Big Tuskers. This film is about the largest elephants on Earth and what people are doing to help them survive. The documentary was released in October 2018.

See also

• Elephant hunting in Kenya
• List of individual elephants