Kenya’s biggest and oldest elephant “Tim”, was attacked by poachers at the Amboseli National Park last week.
The elephant was found by conservationist David Bates and his team with a spear stuck in its head after it sauntered near a camp last week.
“As I was counting buffalo calves in one of our sanctuaries, a ranger told me that one of our signature bull elephants was moving quickly towards us. Indeed, it was Tim,” said Mr Bates.
He said: “I was excited to see him. But then, as he drew closer to us, we realized that something was wrong. Protruding from his head was a spear, and on his forehead was a huge bleeding wound. It appears it was hit with a large rock”.
Mr Bates said that Tim could have been injured in a conflict with local farmers.
The wound was cleaned, and Tim was given antibiotics and a revival drug. Soon enough, he was back on his feet, bearing the mark of his poaching attack — but still alive.
Tim is known far and wide for his age and impressive stature. He is one of the oldest elephants, having survived the poaching epidemic that’s taken many of his peers in the past few years. Born in 1969, Tim has sired many calves and is a reminder of the longevity of wild elephants.
Tim’s massive tusks make him a walking target for poachers, who seek to sell his valuable ivory
