Tech giant Google set aside a day to honor the iconic elephant, Ahmed, who was popularly known as the King of Marsabit.
On Wednesday, December 6, Google unveiled a doodle themed Ahmed the Elephant; King of Marsabit.
The story of Ahmed, the King of Marsabit spans years, in a tale of an African giant that put Kenya on the global map.
Notably, Ahmed became a legendary figure in the 1960s, after hikers spotted him in Northern Kenya.
He stood out because of his size, and his tusks which would later be recognized as the biggest in Africa.
To put it in perspective, the tusks weighed about 68 kilograms (150 lbs.) each. The hikers described these tusks as so large; they would scrape the ground as he walked.
However, this was not the only impressive thing about the King of Marsabit, as he was aptly called.
Previously, in an undocumented legend, stories were told of an elephant whose tusks were so big, he could only climb hills walking backwards. This ‘tusker’ in the legend was largely believed to be Ahmed.
The King of Marsabit lived in the forests of Marsabit National Reserve, on a mountain rising from the dry scrublands of Northern Kenya. However, he made himself scarce, hardly ever being seen by people. His reputation preceded him.
On the rare occasions where he was seen, the mighty elephant was always in the company of two smaller bull elephants, who seemed to protect him, and his huge tusks.
When the two elephants sensed threats on Ahmed, they were quick to attack, giving the King of Marsabit an opportunity to hide behind the bushes.
Also Read: Uganda Wildlife Numbers Soar Due to Enhanced Protection
The King of Marsabit’s Rise to Stardom
However, his moment of mystery soon vanished when he was put in the limelight by three films. Ahmed starred in ABC’s ‘The American Sportsman’, ‘The Search for Ahmed.’ The American Sportsman was a hunting and fishing show featuring American celebrities.
Further, the elephant was featured in an NBC’s film with American writer George Plimpton and a French documentary that highlighted the work of Scottish zoologist, Iain Douglas Hamilton.
These films propelled Ahmed to stardom, ushering a new phase in his life, far from the secluded on he had previously lived.
The media blitz led to a letter writing campaign by school children who wrote to the late President Jomo Kenyatta asking him to protect Ahmed, who was now considered a national treasure.
Jomo Kenyatta placed the King of Marsabit under his protection by a Presidential Decree making Ahmed the only ever declared living monument at that time.
Additionally, according to documentations, this was an unparalleled occurrence in history.
Now launched from his loner life, the mighty elephant was placed under constant surveillance by two armed guards. However, he soon got used to the guards and would instead choose to roam the park, freely.
Notably, the protection was necessary since elephant poaching was on the rise, especially because poachers placed targets on Ahmed’s prized possession, his tusks.
The Peaceful Demise of Ahmed the Mighty Elephant
One the fateful morning, in 1974, the poachers waited to no avail for the mighty elephant to come back from the bushes he had disappeared into the previous night.
However, after a long unfruitful wait, the rangers decided to trace him. The King of Marsabit had peacefully rested in a repose against a tree, looking merely asleep.
He was dead.
The rangers calculated his age at the time of his death and estimated that he was 55. He died of natural causes, as he had lived a full life.
Also Read: Residents Scramble for Elephant Killed in Crash with Tahmeed Bus
However, during his autopsy, poacher bullets were discovered and whittled from his body, showing that his life had been at risk since birth.
President Kenyatta declared that his body be preserved at the Nairobi National Musuem, for future generations.
A chef taxidermist at Zimmerman’s Ltd, Wolfgang Schnenk, took care of Ahmed, and Ahmed currently stands proudly at the Nairobi National Musuem as was President Kenyatta’s wish.
Notably, other than his massive form at the museum, his pictures still live on to tell his story, with famous legendary photographer, Mo Amin being one of the last people to take photos of the King of Marsabit.
