Multi-million rand tusks stolen from SA’s biggest tusker
The Tembe Elephant Park in Kwazulu-Natal has for the first time made public that iSilo- Southern Africa’s biggest tusker- was found dead in March with his multi-million rand tusks removed, suspectedly by rhino poachers.
Although thought to have died of old age in January, the 58 year old elephant’s tusks, which have a black market value of approximately R3 million, were gone when anti-poaching rangers at Tembe tracked down his carcass.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife kept the death of iSilo quiet for two weeks, before Ernest Robbertse, Manager of the Tembe Elephant Park Lodge, revealed on April 4 that the elephant had been found dead after being missing since January.
“iSilo died a natural death of old age in the South West section of the park around 10 January 2014 in an area known to be his home range. His carcass was only discovered about two weeks ago and unfortunately his magnificent tusks had already been stolen by suspected rhino poachers,” Robbertse said.
The six-and-a-half tonne elephant’s tusks were an estimated three metres long and thought to weigh in at a hefty 60 kilogrammes each, making the bull the biggest and most valuable attraction at Tembe.
“For years he was the star attraction here. He was a very placid elephant, a gentle giant. We are convinced he wasn’t poached as his tusks weren’t hacked out, they were removed one after the other over a period of two weeks,” said Robbertse.
Robbertse said that incursions into the Park by rhino poachers were common, and that the tusks had most likely been taken over the border into Mozambique.
“We have now lost three of our big tuskers, but luckily we have a very strong gene pool at Tembe, and there are plenty of emerging tuskers around,” he added.
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife officials are yet to find out what happened to the prized ivory.
“We didn’t keep the death of iSilo quiet intentionally. We don’t report on the death of every animal, but when people ask for information we will share it with them. Investigations are ongoing in this matter,” said spokesperson Musa Mntambo.
Mahudu Tembe, Chief of the Tembe tribe, which donated the 30 000 hectares of land for the formation of the reserve, has offered a R100 000 reward for the return of the tusks.
“Inkosi Tembe is offering a reward of R100 000 for the return to the authorities at Tembe Elephant Park of the ivory stolen from the carcass of Isilo the Elephant during March 2014. These tusks are His & the Tembe people’s property and heritage and he wants them returned,” reads a post on Tembe Elephant Park’s Facebook page.
Dr Johann Marais, author of several books on Africa’s great tuskers, said that the loss of iSilo’s tusks was a huge tragedy.
“We know these big bulls have to die at some stage, but even by tusker standards he had massive tusks, which were items of National Heritage significance,” said Marais.
Marias added that Africa’s tucker population (elephants with tusks heavier than 45kg) faced a bleak future.
“We probably only have two or three tuskers left in Southern Africa and with the levels of poaching currently taking place the future doesn’t look good,” Mariais said.
The price of black market ivory has risen 500% over the past decade, with a kilogramme now worth approximately US$2200 (R23 000).
At an arts and crafts market in Hong Kong, a 65kg pair of mounted tusks was recently put on sale for HK$15 million (R20mn), equivalent to a per kilogramme price of R307 000.