What percent of a bull elephant's tusk is exposed? Is 50% exposed and 50% in the animal? Also, what percent of a tusk would be 'stained'?

Bobby B.

From what I understand (I've only hunted them in Botswana), it varies regionally. Bulls in Botswana are larger bodied than the bulls in Tanzania for example, so the Botswana bulls will have more tusk length inside the skull (larger heads). I've heard 2/3 out of the skull and 1/3 inside for TZ bulls and the opposite for Botswana, but I'm not sure whether or not there's any science behind it.

Whatever portion of the tusk is outside the skull will be "stained", everything inside the skull is white because it's not exposed to the elements.

There is not percentage because they are growing. In this ele there was 24 to 28 inches inside and 4.5 feet sticking out. Some ivory is long and others are short and fat.
Both are 65lbs and 74 and 76 inches in length.

Bobby,

Just for comparison I have a Botswana set the goes 57x58 and basically 2 ft were in the skull and 3 ft +- stickng out. So with this set about 40% of the tusks were in the skull.

Mark

Thanks, guys!

Bobby B.

Generally , one can say that the more a tusk weighs the greater percentage is exposed . It is generally accepted that on a mature bull there will be 2-2.5 feet of tusk in the skull.

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
Generally , one can say that the more a tusk weighs the greater percentage is exposed . It is generally accepted that on a mature bull there will be 2-2.5 feet of tusk in the skull.

Very true Larry, and the embedded part is definitely the lighter portion due to the nerve cavity which extends just beyond the lip and when it goes that little further is what screws you out of an extra couple of pounds.

quote:

Originally posted by Bobby B.:
What percent of a bull elephant's tusk is exposed? Is 50% exposed and 50% in the animal? Also, what percent of a tusk would be 'stained'?

Bobby B.

Wouldn’t it be great if it WAS 50% and 50%!! . . . five feet of exposed ivory reliably yielding 10 foot tusks!!. . . .

A good question, to which I submit, there is no fixed answer. Here’s some ramblings to add to the other good comments already posted.
Generally speaking (excluding the rare tusk-less individuals), all mature elephants will carry tusks that clear the lip, and have a somewhat predictable UN-exposed length (that tusk length within the tusk ‘sockets’ within the skull and another few inches covered by the lip skin). Individuals of a similar body size could be expected to have similar skull size and could be expected to carry fairly similar un-exposed tusk length. A bigger body will generally carry a bigger skull, and the bigger skull will have longer and likely larger diameter tusk sockets.
An elephant’s skull size does not grow significantly after it has reached maturity so some ‘average’ range of un-exposed length could be predicted.

But the length of exposed tusk is much more variable between two otherwise similarly sized individuals.
An elephant’s tusks grow continuously over its’ life span. So a very old individual should have longer exposed tusks. But, the length of exposed tusk is highly variable, depending on an individual’s tusk growth rate. Growth rate would vary with the individual’s age, health, quality of forage, and individual genetic factors that bless some elephants with higher growth rates.
And the actual exposed tusk length is a result of the growth rate, and years of growth, reduced by the wear rate and damage to the tusks incurred over the same period.
Wear rates being affected by individual behavior patterns, and how hard the elephant has to work to feed and water himself. An elephant that has to survive long annual dry seasons by digging in dry river beds for water, or has to use its’ tusks regularly to peel tree bark because of a regular shortage of softer, easier obtained forage would have higher wear rates. Two elephants of similar body size, growth rates, and age might carry considerably different tusks if one is blessed to be living in habitat with year round easily obtained water and nutrient rich forage, as compared to one living in a dry rocky habitat where survival is tougher and the tusks must be ‘employed’ as survival tools more frequently. And I suppose ‘luck’ plays a part, particularly with outright damage. One bull might chisel away at Baobab trees regularly for years and incur only typical wear, and another might apply a little too much leverage one time and snap off years of accumulated growth. The bull that feels driven to always challenge any other bull in the area might have more frequent breakage, as compared to one that shies away from the shoving matches to secure breeding rights (but walks away with tusks unbroken).

There are authentic records of savanna elephants with tusks over ten feet and a few over eleven feet, so on those VERY RARE occasions when every possible factor was favorable throughout the elephants life some amazing ivory is produced. I have some interesting photos of very large tusks and will post them when I dig them up. Speaking of digging up . . Wooly Mammoth tusks have been found that were in the thirteen foot range! . . . . I recall longest found Mastodon tusks reaching sixteen feet . . . . forget this ‘Astronaut-Tourism” . . . a time machine that will handle a hunter, tracker, rifle, ammo, and pair of wickedly curved tusks is a much more exciting concept!! . . . LOL! . . . “Beam me up Scotty” . . . the new big bore buzz-phrase!