With tusks that can weigh more than 100 pounds each, super tuskers are among the most extraordinary elephants on Earth. These rare giants are easily recognized by their enormous tusks, which often reach the ground as they walk. However, their beauty and rarity also make them prime targets for poaching.
According to the Tsavo Trust, fewer than 30 super tuskers remain in Africa today. Most of them live in southern Kenya, where Italian-born photographer Federico Veronesi has spent years documenting their lives. His new book, Walk the Earth, showcases these majestic creatures and celebrates what he calls “the last witnesses of a world before humans took over the Earth.”
Veronesi’s fascination with African wildlife began in childhood. After moving to Kenya, he dedicated his career to photographing elephants, which he says capture the spirit of Africa. “When you see an elephant walk through the savanna,” he said, “it feels like everything about Africa is in that one moment.”
One of Veronesi’s most memorable encounters came in 2010, when he saw Tim, the legendary super tusker of Amboseli National Park. He described the experience as a dream come true, comparing Tim to Ahmed — a famous tusker once declared a “living monument” by Kenyan President Jomo Kenyatta in the 1970s.
His book also introduces readers to Balguda, “probably the greatest tusker alive today.” Veronesi spent years searching for Balguda and finally photographed him in 2023 in Kenya’s Tsavo region. “Seeing him in the wild was one of my life’s most intense moments,” Veronesi said.
Walk the Earth also sheds light on the growing threats to elephants, including habitat loss, human conflict, and trophy hunting. Veronesi hopes his work will inspire conservation and deepen public empathy for these intelligent, social animals.
Through his lens, Veronesi captures more than photographs — he preserves the legacy of Africa’s last super tuskers for future generations.
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