Ahmed of Marsabit

Ahmed the Elephant, the King of MarsabitBorn around 1919 in the forests of Marsabit, northern Kenya, Ahmed grew into an elephant unlike any other.Known for his enormous tusks, he was familiar to the Rendille and Borana people long before his name reached the wider world. By the 1950s and 1960s, Ahmed had become known to hunters, wildlife officials, and men such as George Adamson and Stan Bleazard as the legendary bull called the King of Marsabit.Then, in 1970, Ahmed’s story reached an extraordinary turning point. His appearance in international films brought him to a much wider audience. American filmmaker John Huston, working with writer and production manager John Heminway, was involved in The Search for Ahmed, part of the ABC series The American Sportsman, while American journalist George Plimpton took part in another film about the famous elephant. A French documentary also followed the work of conservationist Iain Douglas-Hamilton.News that hunters were seeking Ahmed for his ivory sparked an international campaign, with more than 5,000 letters and cards sent in support of his protection. President Jomo Kenyatta responded by placing Ahmed under special protection in the forests of Marsabit.The story also brought Ahmed into the lens of Kenyan photographer Mohamed Amin, whose work helped preserve the remarkable story of the famous elephant.From the forests of Mount Marsabit to the offices of government and the international media, Ahmed of Marsabit tells the story of an extraordinary elephant and the people who helped make him one of Kenya’s most famous animals.Read the remarkable story of Ahmed, the King of Marsabit, and discover how one wild elephant became part of Kenya’s history.