'Queen of Tsavo,' the famous elephant with iconic tusks, dies in Kenya
Kenyans are mourning the loss of their African elephant queen, Dida, who was believed to be the continent's largest female tusker.
Tuskers have tusks so large they scrape the ground.
Dida lived to be an estimated 60 to 65 years old and was known as a matriarch in Tsavo East National Park, the Kenya Wildlife Service tweeted on Tuesday.
Dida died on Oct. 31, the national park said on Facebook.
Other organizations celebrated Dida's life online, including the Tsavo Trust, a nonprofit that works to protect species in Kenya's Tsavo conservation area.
African elephants can live for up to 70 years, according to wildlife experts; the Tsavo Trust said an elephant living a life as full as hers is something its members are "very proud of."
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Calling her the area’s "best-loved matriarch and the greatest repository of many decades worth of knowledge," the organization said Dida surprised team members by living as long as she did. During her life, she garnered the awe of tourists.
Many other elephants in East Africa have died due to an ongoing drought, described as the worst to hit the area in 40 years, the Tsavo Trust said on its website Friday. At least 109 elephants have died in Tsavo this year.
The organization said Dida, who died of old age, will be remembered by the younger elephant generations for her wisdom because she taught them her own careful judgment.
"An elephant never forgets," the group said before sending her off with kind words.
"Lala salama Dida," the trust posted, or "Sleep safe" in Swahili.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY's NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757 – and loves all things horror, witches, Christmas, and food. Follow her on Twitter at @Saleen_Martin or email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Famous African elephant matriarch Queen of Tsavo dies, Kenya park says
