A super tusker with excessive tusks. Kenya: THESE MAJESTIC images celebrate the beauty of Kenya?s orphaned elephants and the mightiest big tusker matr
A super tusker with excessive tusks. Kenya: THESE MAJESTIC images celebrate the beauty of Kenya?s orphaned elephants and the mightiest big tusker matriarchs you will see in glorious black and white. One image, entitled ?The Orphans of Reteti? shows the elephants of the Reteti Elephant Sanctuary who were rescued over the years. These 14 young elephants stand in front of an elephant mural painted onto the rocks as they pose for the camera. Another image shows Dida the Big Tusker elephant who is 60 years old. Dida is one of the oldest matriarchs in Africa and has guided her herd across a landscape the size of Switzerland over her lifetime. Big tuskers are classified as having tusks that weigh 100 pounds or more each. This is caused by a rare genetic variation that causes ginormous growth. African elephants can grow to more than 13 feet tall and weigh in excess of 13,000 pounds, depending on their gender and age. These images were taken by professional photographer James Lewin in conservation areas around Kenya. ?The Reteti Elephant Sanctuary is the first community-owned and run elephant sanctuary in Africa,? said James. ?It was an honour to partner with them for this shoot, and I thank them dearly for their patients in the months of planning it took to make this a reality. ?There was no guarantee the elephants would face the correct direction or line up beautifully as I had imagined in my dreams. This truth hit home on the first attempt as a few of the elephants walked straight toward me and others walked out of the frame before any composition had presented itself. ?The moment I took this frame remains one of my most treasured memories of all. ?I can never do anything to prepare myself for coming face to face with a Big Tusker elephant. ?Never have I encountered any animal or human that commands instant silence and such an amount of respect from all around. ?I found it hard to understand how trusting and friendly this elephant was when he is well aware of the danger h
Size: 3000px × 2088px
Photo credit: © Media Drum World / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: big, elephant, elephants, nature, photography, super, tusker, wild
