The Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) confirmed Wednesday that one of Africa's oldest elephants was found dead on Jan 4 in Tsavo East National Park in southeast Kenya.

The elephant, named Satao II, was one of Kenya's last 'great tusker' elephants KWS spokesman Paul Gathitu said, adding that  Satao II was about 50 years old and was found dead under unclear circumstances.

He said the initial inspection by a joint KWS and Tsavo Trust team during the removal of tusks did not find any unusual marks on the carcass and, therefore, was considered to have died from natural causes.

The iconic Satao lived in Tsavo East National park and was one of Tsavo's most adored elephants, was famous as one of the last surviving great tuskers, bearers of genes that produce bull elephants with long tusks that touch the ground.

The elephant was named after another giant was killed in 2014 when it fell victim to poachers in Tsavo.

Gathitu said the carcass of Satao II was subsequently not touched by any scavengers which led to the deduction that the elephant could have died from poisoning.   

"However, this remains inconclusive as to whether it was as a result of poaching or retaliatory attack by community members due to human wildlife conflict," he said.

Tusker elephants are so named because they have tusks weighing over 45kg, the value of such large tusks is one of the reasons they often fall prey to poachers and are  critically endangered.

Kenya remains a poaching hotspot in Africa despite widespread campaigns by conservationists to condemn the menace.

The recent death has once again renewed attention to a crisis that has persisted for decades.

(Source: Xinhua)