We all know that many antelope develop “ivory tips†on the horns when they get to be nice trophies. Kudu, nyala are very well known for the ivory tips. On some I've never seen ivory tips.

Does anyone know what the “ivory†is? Why does the horn material become white/yellow as animal ages?

I, for one, would like to get the input from anyone who can add some light on this, for me, very bothering and thought provoking subject.

While we are sharing our knowledge, let’s see if here at AR we can compile two lists: One of all the species that develop such “ivory†tips with age, and one of species that never do.

I’ll start the list with the photo of kudu as recently posted by nickudu as evidence that they do have such tips.

A list of those that don't have ivory will be more difficult to compile, as a photo of a great trophy without ivory does not prove that the species 'never' develops ivory. To start this list: I have never seen ivory tips on impala. Even and old, just about to die from old age, ram I shot was without any sign of ivory.

If I understan your question right (my english isn´t that good......) you wonder why some antler-tips are white?

I would say that this is due to whear when trashing bushes etc. The Kudu for ex. drag down branches on threes with the antlers to get to the leafs. Lots of antelopes and deer also mark their territory bu trashing their antlers in bushes etc. This makes the tips go white by plane whear.

Stefan

Bongo definitely, Nyala I think, don't know about bushbuck.

quote:

Originally posted by Stefan:
If I understan your question right (my english isn´t that good......) you wonder why some antler-tips are white?

I would say that this is due to whear when trashing bushes etc. The Kudu for ex. drag down branches on threes with the antlers to get to the leafs. Lots of antelopes and deer also mark their territory bu trashing their antlers in bushes etc. This makes the tips go white by plane whear.

Stefan

Minor nit here, antelope have horns (horn growth, normally growing lifelong), deer have antlers (bone growth, shed every year).
- mike

After a visit to my local trophy room, I payed particular attention to which animals had ivory tips, and which did not. It occured to me that all those that did, were of the spiral horn variety.

Kudu - yes
Nyala - yes
Mountain Nyala - yes
Bongo - yes
Eland - not so sure
Bushbuck - haven't seen it

Non-spirals

Impala - no
Waterbuck - no
Springbuck - no
Gemsbuck - no
Sable - no
Puku - no
Gazelles - no
Hartebeast - no
Lechwe - no

I suppose there is a lot of variation in the habitats of these various animals, but I can't imagine the physical handling of the horns to be all that different - some worn to an ivory tips, others just worn. I'm not a biologist, but there must be something different in the material makeup of the horn that causes the tips to become ivory.

Brian

Bt

I don't think it can be answered by just spiral horns as, to my knowledge even the older Bushbuck with worn tips still do not produce ivory color at the tips. A Kudu horn, for example must have a light colored interior and a Bushbuck doesn't.

CFA

Most spiral-horned species I have seen can carry ivory tips including bushbuck as can be seen on the photograph below.


This 16" bushbuck was taken by a client of mine in the Limpopo Province at the beginning of May this year.

FWIW,
Pronghorn will get white tips as well. However, when you pull the horns off or when they are shed, the inside of the horn will be black, so it's not like there is an inner core that is white and the tips are worn through to this inner layer. At least not down near the bases.

Brent