Photo: Will Burrard-Lucas in partnership with Tsavo Trust
F_MU1, known as the Elephant Queen, achieved a rare feat: she died of natural causes.
The African elephant survived years of poaching threats to die peacefully and quietly in Tsavo, Kenya.
Burrad-Lucas took these stunning shots of F_MU1, who lived to be over 60, as part of a partnership withTsavo TrustandKenya Wildlife Serviceand wrote about the moment, which he calls “one of the greatest honors,” ina touching blog post.
Will Burrard-Lucas in partnership with Tsavo Trust
In August 2017, the photographer travelled to Tsavo to take photos for a coffee table photography book of the area’s elephants and of the work the Tsavo Trust does every day. Tsavo Trust, a non-profit wildlife conservation organization, is dedicated to protecting the wild animals of Tsavo, which include the four-legged residents of Tsavo East National Park, Tsavo West National Park, and Chyulu Hills National Park.
Tsavo Trust knew that Burrad-Lucas had to get photos of F_MU1 for the book, which is calledLand of Giants. After looking for the Elephant Queen for several days in an area the size of Switzerland, Tsavo Trust located the big beauty and drove Burrad-Lucas out to meet her.
The elderly cow elephant was a gracious host, allowing Burrad-Lucas to stay with her for an entire day and follow her to a watering hole, where he was able to capture ground-level shots with his BeetleCam that truly capture F_MU1’s size and grace.
Throughout his time in Tsavo, the photographer was fortunate to encounter the Elephant Queen several more times before she died of natural causes.
“As a wildlife photographer, a subject like F_MU1 is incredibly rare; a creature that is unique – possibly the most remarkable of her kind – and yet an animal that few have photographed before,” Burrad-Lucas wrote of his time with the elephant. “The time I spent with her was a real privilege.”
source: people.com
