Tim, as he is known, made his way through Amboseli National Park to a camp of conservationists where he knew he would be helped.

David Bates was counting buffalo calves last month when word reached him that the 47-year-old tusker - an elephant with tusks weighing at least 100lb each - was headed his way.

"I was excited to see him," he told The Nation. "But then, as he drew closer to us, we realised that something was wrong.

"Protruding from his head was a spear, and on his forehead was a huge bleeding wound. It appears it was hit with a large rock."

It was dark by the time a vet from the Kenya Wildlife Service arrived so they tracked Tim through the night until it was light.

A tranquiliser dart was used to knock out Tim and inspect the wound.

"To all our relief, the spear wasn't poisoned, and had gone through the ear and merely scratched the skin underneath," said the Big Life Foundation. "Within five minutes, Tim was up and heading back to the swamps in the middle of Amboseli."