Talk:Craig (elephant)

I wondered why the elephant was called Craig and looked into it. It is clear that it was named by Cynthia Moss. It is possible that it was named after a particular person such as conservationists Ian Craig or Craig Packer but, having found her history, the main thing that is clear is that most of the elephants in that herd of about 100 were given names starting with the letter C and it probably wasn't so special at the time. The standard naming convention was to name herds with two letters and their members with the first letter. Andrew🐉(talk) 08:50, 8 January 2026 (UTC)

The planned hook has been updated by HurricaneZeta to

• ... that an African elephant named Craig had tusks that were so long that they reached the ground?

I was just pinged and that's dangerous as it gets me thinking. The hook now seems lacking in hookiness. How about:

• ALT ... that a super-tusker named Craig died when his teeth wore out which caused his intestines to rupture?

It's rather gory but got my attention when I first read it here. @Lajmmoore and Thriley:

Andrew🐉(talk) 12:24, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

@Andrew Davidson fine by me! Lajmmoore (talk) 13:29, 17 February 2026 (UTC)

This elephant seems to notable for only one thing - it died. So fails WP:EVENTCRITERIA #4 - a routine kind of news event, and WP:SIGCOV - multiple newspapers publishing the same story, reports of the elephants death. Tagging lack of notability. Fountains of Bryn Mawr (talk) 02:18, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

Read for comprehension, please. Craig was one of the last remaining elephants with large tusks. Viriditas (talk) 02:21, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

Large tusks is not a notability criteria. Fountains of Bryn Mawr (talk) 02:26, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

Again, you appear to have great difficulty with reading comprehension. Craig is one of the most notable elephants in the world, in this case, due to his super tusks. I would respectfully suggest you ask for help because it seems like you don't understand what you are reading. He was NOT notable because of his death. This is something you have invented in your head. Viriditas (talk) 02:29, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

All sources only cover his death, this fails WP:SIGCOV. Fountains of Bryn Mawr (talk) 02:32, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

You are wrong as usual. How many examples will it take for you to correct your errors? Wildlife photographer Randy Johnson a year before Craig's death called him the famous super tusker in Kenya. Viriditas (talk) 02:36, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

A cleanup tag is there for cleanup. If you think there are sources supporting notability, add them. Fountains of Bryn Mawr (talk) 02:40, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

Ah, so now I have the burden of cleaning up after you and your erroneous drive-by tagging. Funny how that works. I have a better idea. Why don't you find something more productive to do with your time than forcing people to clean up after your mess? Again, how many links is it going to take? Here is Cynthia Moss's scientific documentation of Craig's pedigree from 2010: Not enough? Moss of the Amboseli Elephant Research Project in 2024: "Craig at 52 years old has become one of the most famous and photographed wild elephants in the world. Photographers, filmmakers, and tourists come from far and wide to see him. He is exceptionally beautiful, a so-called "super tusker", with tusks each weighing well over 100 lbs." Viriditas (talk) 02:57, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

Award-winning wildlife photographer, Nancie Wight's photo essay on Craig, produced before his death.

Award-winning wildlife photographer, Clint Ralph's photo essay on Craig, produced before his death.

Artist Patrick Mavros jewelry collection produced before Craig's death:

BBC News: "Craig the elephant became a brand ambassador for Tusker [Beer] five years ago".

Daily Nation: "In 2021, Craig was adopted by East African Breweries Limited (EABL) through the Tusker brand, reflecting his worldwide appeal."

Existence is not the same as notability (you may want to read Wikipedia policy on that). Wildlife census reports and user generated websites show existence, the article still does not cite notability. Failing that the next step would be AfD. Fountains of Bryn Mawr (talk) 15:58, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

FYI, Craig did quite well at DYK so many readers seem to like him. For example, The leaderboard shows that the article got 810 views per hour while on the main page while Veronica only got 668. Bull beats cow! 16:56, 5 April 2026 (UTC) Andrew🐉(talk) 16:56, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

I think it's you who needs to read the policy. You are free to take this to AFD. You've been given ample evidence that the leading elephant researcher, photographers and artists, news sources, and commercial beer companies recognize Craig's worldwide appeal, and did so before he died. Virtually every source indicates that Craig is one of the most famous elephants in the world. My guess is that you just like to waste everyone's time because it's the only way you can get attention. I've seen you do this before on other articles. This is why we can't have nice things. Viriditas (talk) 19:35, 5 April 2026 (UTC)

And you can always read WP:NOPA, WP:TALKNO and WP:UNCIVIL while you are at it.. Fountains of Bryn Mawr (talk) 01:24, 6 April 2026 (UTC)

Bradner, Liesl (May 22, 2016). "Inherit the dust". Tampa Bay Times. p. 4P. His series of photos has just been published as a book...It was conceived as his elegy to Africa's natural world...Factories, garbage dumps and quarries now stand where elephants...once lived...he selected never-before-published black-and-white portraits including one of his favorite subjects, Craig, a 40-year-old Amboseli bull elephant...

Ledger, Emma (November 13, 2020). "Photographers risking life and limb on our mission to halt the wildlife trade". Evening Standard. p. 10. The exclusive images of wildlife created by photographers David Yarrow and Adrian Stern...Yarrow had to lie 12 feet away as Craig the elephant came towards him...'With most elephants in the world I'd be dead, but not with Craig. He's 50 and has never been known to charge a jeep. He's well known by the Masai and Kenya wildlife service rangers I was working with, and whom I trusted.'

Mwongela, Ferdinand (October 10, 2021). "Tembo Naming Festival held, rising elephant numbers lauded". The Standard. Amboseli's big tusker, known as Craig, was named Tusker, with the East African Breweries Limited (EABL) as the sponsor.

DuVall-Jackson, Lori (July 2, 2022). "An unforgettable trip and wildlife encounter". The Buffalo News. p. A6. ...we found "Craig," perhaps the most famous of the remaining great tuskers of Amboseli. A towering giant, his enormous tusks practically touched the ground. We watched as he dug them under a huge bush and heaved it right out of the ground. For the next hour we took pictures and video as he calmly sauntered by our vehicle.

Brady, Paul; Bendixen, Emli (April 2024). "High and Mighty". Travel & Leisure. 54 (3). People Inc.: 78–87. ISSN 0041-2007. Somebody had tipped us off to the whereabouts of what might just be the most famous elephant in Africa: a "super tusker," as these rare animals are known, thanks to their oversize ivories that seem to scrape the earth. Over the decades, Craig has become a highly sought-after photographic prize.

Houghton, Irungu; Kahumbu, Paula (August 10, 2024). "Why Kenya, Tanzania must step up protection of their elephants". The Standard. East Africa's bulls like Craig, One Ton, Vronsky and the late Tolstoy and Tim are some of the most famous elephants in the world.

Poole, Bob (director) (2025). Tusker: Brotherhood of Elephants (Episode). Nature. For over half a century, this elephant, known as Craig, has followed the tracks of his ancestors. Tusks that reach the ground are rare, but Craig is far more valuable than the ivory he carries. He is a keeper of knowledge. He knows the migratory routes carved by generations. He knows where to find food and water when the land is parched. Tuskers like Craig are guardians of an ancient lineage. This wise old tusker has just survived a deadly drought...On the eastern boundary of the park, Craig, one of Amboceli's oldest and most revered males, is taking advantage of the grasses. He's still thin from the recent drought, but he's been putting on weight since the rains arrived. Craig is considered a super tusker, a rare giant whose tusks each weigh more than 100 pounds. He's one of fewer than 30 in all of Kenya. Like other tuskers, Craig uses his ivory for protection and to access food. What should be an asset became a liability when hunters and poachers targeted bulls with the largest tusks. Amboseli National Park offered a safe haven. It continues to be a rare stronghold where super tuskers like Craig can still exist. Craig is a living legend, as is every tusker following in his footsteps...Craig is a rarity. While so many tuskers have been lost to the lust for ivory and human conflict, Craig has survived for over 50 years, and he's sharing his wisdom.