In South Africa we have the Kruger National park which is world renowned for its big tuskers!! Elephants that meet the criteria of having tusks with a minimum length of 1.5m. With the help of rangers and aerial surveillance teams, the park staff has identified 12 new and upcoming big tuskers within the two-million hectare park. Once an elephant has been identified and meets these criteria they are then identified by their ear notches and any unique features they might have and given a name. The name is usually named after one of the rangers that has been in long service at the park. Traditionally it’s a nick name given to that ranger by his/her peers in their ethnic language.

This naming of the elephants has been in place since the death of the so-called "magnificent seven", a group of tuskers that roamed Kruger over thirty years ago. When each of these great elephants died, it was decided to retrieve their tusks and skulls in order to display them in the Elephant museum at Letaba camp.
Unfortunately these big tuskers have for years captivated visitors to the Kruger as well as trophy hunters. The Timbavati reserve which is on the boundary of the Kruger relies primarily on hunting permits to fund their conservation initiatives. Recently there was some controversy regarding the SAN Parks issue of a hunting permit to an outfitter in the Timbavati are that included a big Tusker.
Big-tusked elephants will always be in demand by hunters and poachers, and the Timbavati controversy serves to highlight the importance of putting effective conservation policies in place.
With any luck, the newly identified group will be joined by even more tuskers in the coming years. The gene pool is still there it just takes time for these beauties to evolve into the mighty beings they are.
Below are 4 of the upcoming tuskers.
Botsotso - ‘Botsotso’ is Tsonga and refers to particular style of jeans that were worn in the olden days and is a direct reference to the large very prominent folds of skin on the rear of this bull making it one of his identification characteristics’.
Range: Northern and Far Northern KNP.

Matlakusa - ‘Matlakusa’ from tlakusa, is Tsonga meaning to ‘raise, lift up’, this is a large open pan and bore-hole, alongside the eastern border, southeast of Malonga in the Kruger National Park and links to this bull’s large home range.
Range: Northern and Far Northern KNP

Ndlovane - ‘Ndlovane’ meaning ‘Small Elephant’ has been given to this elephant not for his size but for his young age and great potential to develop into a future great tusker.
Range: Northern KNP.

N’wenhlamuhari - ‘N’wendlamuhari’ is Shangaan for the Sand River which means ‘the river that is fierce when in flood’ the name links to the bulls preferred location to a spruit which is known for its dramatic flooding in heavy rains.
Range: Northern KNP.