Page 41 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 12

MY AFRIKA

AHMED

The elephant with many bodyguards

Chioma Phillips

hmed gate at the his death, during the autopsy, they thought it best to suppress the story.
entrance to Marsabit found several antique bullets lodged Ahmed’s tusks weighed 67 and 68
National Park is named in his body, a great validation for his kilograms and were 3 meters long.
Aafter the bull elephant personal security in his latter years. People had expected these to be
that lived there in the 1960s and He was the most famous elephant in larger based on how they extend-
70s. The name Ahmed is an Arabic the world. ed to the ground. According to
name meaning ‘one who is highly Wolfang Schenk the taxidermist
praised’ or ‘one who thanks God He died four years later at the age who worked for Zimmerman's and
continually.’ I don’t know which of roughly 65. It is said that he died was charged with taking care of
one they attached to this particular of natural causes and he was found Ahmed’s remains, the elephant was
pachyderm, but this Ahmed was peacefully leaning against a tree. actually smaller in stature than many
famous for having tusks so long that Afrikan elephants live to about 70 thought, giving his tusks the appear-
he could (and did) rest his head on years of age on average and so this ance of being massive in size when
his tusks. was an easy story to accept. How- in fact they were not as large as they
Known to many as the King of ever, according to a book by Steve had appeared.
Marsabit, it is said that he had two Smith, a hunter, author and pub-
young bull elephants for personal lisher, Ahmed had disappeared for Ahmed was said to have been a gen-
bodyguards who accompanied him a few days and when he was discov- tle and good-natured elephant and
on his strolls through the bush, ered; a recent bullet hole was found on his death, the decision was made
watching out for him and pushing in his stomach and was thought to to preserve the remains for future
back any that came towards him have caused peritonitis and the bull’s generations. Unfortunately, the hide
aggressively. subsequent death. This he says he was unusable and so instead they
was told by Peter Wain, manager of opted to make a life-size sculpture.
Ahmed the elephant and his mas- Zimmerman's Ltd, the taxidermist The sculpture can be found outside
sive tusks captured the attention of hired to preserve the remains. As the Nairobi National Museum and
multiple filmmakers from the US the story goes, when Peter reported his skeleton and tusks inside it.
and France in 1970 and as a result his findings to the government, they
of his moments in the spotlight, a
letter-writing campaign was start- KWS Ahmed Gate, Marsabit
ed where Kenyan school children
wrote to Jomo Kenyatta asking him
to protect Ahmed from poachers.
The president declared Ahmed a
living monument, accorded him
presidential protection and the
giant tusker was then watched over
by five armed rangers 24 hours a
day for the rest of his life. Upon

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