Perhaps this has been asked before, but can someone help with the following questions:
What does a pair of 35# ivory tusks look like ie. how big?
Same with 45# and 55#
I understand that some tusks are long and thin as opposed to shorter and thicker, but photographs of a human and the appropriate tusks would be helpful.
Thanks, Peter.

Peter

The tusks in my house are from Botswana. They weigh 57x58 pounds, 17.5" diameter at the base with one being 5' long and the other 5'6". They can be seen on the Trophy Room Picture forum and they are in the banner below.

Mark

This elephant's tusks weighed 42 and 43 #'s. I am a bit behind them, but really isn't one of those Chuck Adams shots.

There really is no one answer to your question.

East African (i.e., Kenya, Tanzania) elephant typically have longer, thinner tusks. South African (i.e., Botswana, Nambia, RSA) elephant have shorter, thicker tusks, as a rule.

35, 45 and 55 pound tusks from one type often look much different than those from the other. And there can even be a fair bit of variation within each type.

45 and 47 lbs.
465H&H

Zim. 57x60

Here are the ones I have at home. They are 45# and 43#. They were taken in Zimbabwe in the Matetsi area. The bull was a VERY large one.

Here are both sets of my tusks...The small ones are from Zim a non trophy bull ele 30 lbs..around three feet in length and the outer one is from Tanzania 16 inch circumference and 65 lbs and 63 lbs. right is 74 inches long and left is 72 inches his working tusk..

Mike

Perhaps this picture will give a better idea of weights. From left to right: 45, 36,47,38.

Gentlemen, thank you all very much! 465H&H the 45 and 36 pound tusks look very similar in length but seem to be significantly different in diameter or circumference at the base. Is this fairly typical for this species of elephant? (I assume that from left to right we are taking about the shouldered tusks, not the one being held on the ground?)
Peter.

There are several factors that affect weight of tusks. The obvious are length and thickness at the lip. Equally as important but less obvious is how the thickness is carried out to the tip. A quickly thinning tusk will weigh less than one that holds its thickness out to the tip. Also the age of the elephant plays a role. The older the elephant the shorter the nerve channels and consequently the greater the weight. The thicker pair in the above picture are from an old elephant and it had very short nerves. It's weight surprised my PH. The very small tusks are from a cow and weighed abot 15 lbs. each.

465H&H

465H&H. Good point about the thickness being carried to the tip (as opposed to a rapid taper). I can see that clearly on your 45 pounders.
Thanks, Peter.