Africa loses largest female tusker
Dida, Africa’s largest female tusker, has died, according to the Kenya Wildlife Service.
KWS stated in a statement that the elephant died naturally.
Dida, according to KWS, was an iconic Tsavo matriarch and a great repository of many decades of knowledge.
She led her flock through many seasons and difficult times. She was the subject of several documentaries as well as a popular tourist attraction.
African elephants can live for up to 70 years and exhibit unusual behaviour near the end of their lives.
Elephants have a proclivity to separate from the rest of the herd as they approach the end of their lives.
They frequently die of starvation, and tooth loss is thought to be a contributing factor.
Elephants have 26 teeth on average, with 12 large flat molars and 12 slightly smaller, more angular premolars. Their tusks are what the two others are.
The massive amounts of leaves, grasses, fruits, and branches that these gentle giants must consume for approximately 16 to 20 hours per day to maintain their energy levels constantly wear away elephant teeth.
As a result, new teeth are constantly growing to replace the existing ones. When a molar or premolar wears down or is lost, a new one emerges from the back to replace it.
As a result of this procedure, elephants go through six sets of teeth throughout their lives.
After an elephant has used up all six sets of teeth, none will grow back, resulting in starvation.