Tusk facts for kids

For other uses, see Tusk (disambiguation).

Tusks are special, long front teeth that grow continuously and stick out far beyond the mouth of certain mammals. Think of them like super-sized teeth! For many animals, like narwhals, walruses, and pigs, tusks are actually canine teeth. But for elephants and hyraxes, they are elongated incisors.

These amazing teeth share some cool features. They grow outside the mouth, keep growing throughout the animal's life, and are made of special materials. Interestingly, tusks don't help animals chew their food. In most animals with tusks, both males and females have them, but the males often have much larger ones.

Tusks of the mastodon "Mammut" borsoni from Greece, which, reaching over 5 meters (16 feet) in length, are the longest tusks ever recorded.

Most tusked mammals have two tusks, one on each side of their mouth. These tusks are usually curved and have a smooth surface. However, the male narwhal is a bit different! It usually has just one long, straight, spiral tusk that grows from the left side of its mouth.

Tusks can grow to incredible sizes. For example, walrus tusks can be over 95 centimeters (about 3 feet) long. Narwhal tusks can reach an amazing 3 meters (nearly 10 feet)! Even the upward-curving tusks of the babirusa can be over 20 centimeters (about 8 inches) long.

Long ago, giant extinct mammals like mammoths and mastodons also had huge tusks. These ancient relatives of today's elephants had impressive pairs of upper tusks.

What Are Tusks For?
Animals with Amazing Tusks
Tusks and People
Gallery
See also

What Are Tusks For?

Tusks are super useful for animals, but their exact purpose depends on the species!

Showing Strength: Many animals, especially males, use their tusks to show off who is the strongest. This helps them find partners and establish their place in the group.
Defense: Tusks are excellent for protecting against predators or other animals.
Tools: Elephants use their tusks like shovels to dig for water, roots, or minerals. They also use them to clear paths.
Moving Around: Walruses use their strong tusks to grip the ice and pull their heavy bodies out of the water. They are like built-in ice picks!

Scientists believe that tusks have developed over time to work perfectly for these jobs outside the animal's mouth.

Animals with Amazing Tusks

African and Tropical Animals

Elephants: Nature's Engineers

An African elephant in Tanzania, showing its impressive tusks.

Elephants are famous for their huge tusks! These tusks are actually very long incisor teeth. Male elephants usually have much larger tusks than females. In fact, female Asian elephants often don't have tusks at all.

Elephants with exceptionally large tusks, weighing at least 45 kilograms (about 100 pounds) each, are sometimes called "tuskers." While these magnificent animals are rare today, they were more common in the past. The longest African elephant tusk ever recorded was about 3.49 meters (11.5 feet) long! Some mammoth tusks from long ago were even bigger, reaching over 4 meters (13 feet) in length.

Hyraxes: Small but Mighty Teeth

Hyrax tusks.

Not all tusks are giant! The Hyrax, a small plant-eating mammal found in Africa, has tiny, tusk-like incisors. These teeth grow continuously and are much larger than typical teeth for their size.

Hyrax tusks are made mostly of dentin with a thin layer of enamel. They are shaped like triangles. These small tusks don't help them eat. Instead, hyraxes use them to protect themselves from predators and to communicate with other hyraxes.

Hippos: Powerful Canine Tusks

Hippo Tusks.

Hippos have impressive tusks that come from their lower canine teeth. These tusks are always growing and don't have roots, so they stay sharp even with daily use. They are made of a tough material called dentin, also known as ivory, covered by a layer called cementum.

Male hippos have much larger tusks, sometimes growing up to 50 centimeters (about 1.5 feet) long – twice the size of female tusks! Both male and female hippos use their tusks for defense, especially when protecting their young. They might clash tusks, bite, or wrestle during disagreements with other hippos.

Animals of Eurasia

Wild Boars: Tough Diggers

A Formosan wild boar showing its upward-curving upper canine tusks.

Wild boars live all over the world, from forests to grasslands. These omnivores eat many different things. Their upper and lower canine teeth grow continuously, forming strong tusks. These tusks are mostly dentin, covered in enamel.

The lower tusks are often longer, but the upper tusks help keep them trimmed, preventing them from growing too long. Male wild boars usually have larger tusks than females, and their upper tusks often curve upwards. Wild boars use their tusks for defense, to show strength to other boars, and to dig for food.

Ruminants: Deer with Tusks

A male Chinese Water deer.

When you think of ruminants (animals that chew their cud, like deer), you usually think of horns. But some unique species have prominent upper canine tusks instead! These include the musk deer, tufted deer, Chinese water deer, and Reeves's muntjac.

In these species, males have much larger tusks than females. Males use these tusks when they compete with other males. Scientists think that smaller ruminants living in dense forests might find tusks more useful than large horns, which could get tangled.

Arctic Marine Animals

Walruses: The "Tooth Walkers"

A walrus resting on ice.

Walruses are amazing marine mammals, sometimes called "tooth walkers" because they use their tusks to pull themselves onto ice. There are three types of walruses, each living in different parts of the Arctic.

A walrus skull and tusks.

Walrus tusks are actually very long canine teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives. They are made of a strong inner layer of dentin (also called ivory) and an outer layer of cementum. These tusks are shaped like cones and are very strong. Walruses use them to help move around, like hauling themselves out of the water or breaking through thick ice. They rarely use them for hunting, as they prefer small invertebrates like mollusks.

Male walruses have larger tusks, which can grow up to 100 centimeters (about 3.3 feet) long. Female tusks are smaller, reaching about 80 centimeters (2.6 feet). Males use their tusks to show dominance and sometimes to fight other males, especially when competing for partners. Tusks are very important for their social lives and for having young.

Narwhals: Unicorns of the Sea

The Narwhal is often called the "unicorn of the sea" because of its incredible single tusk. This tusk is actually an elongated canine tooth that can grow up to 3 meters (nearly 10 feet) long! It usually spirals out from the left side of the male narwhal's mouth.

Scientists believe narwhals use their tusks for many things. They might use them to sense changes in the water, to find food, or to communicate with other narwhals. They also use their tusks to break through ice and to show strength to other males.

Tusks and People

For a long time, people have used tusks to create beautiful objects like jewellery and art. The material from tusks is called ivory. Sadly, this demand led to many tusked animals being hunted, and some species became endangered.

To protect these animals, many countries have strict rules about the ivory trade. The United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) has greatly limited the commercial trade of ivory. For example, commercial trade of elephant ivory is banned in countries like the United States.

However, some communities have a long history of using tusks in traditional ways. For example, Alaska Native peoples harvest marine mammals like Pacific walruses. They use every part of the animal for food, clothing, and tools. Walrus ivory tusks are also used to create beautiful Native handicrafts, which can be an important source of income. Laws like the Marine Mammal Protection Act in the US allow these communities to sell or trade their authentic handicrafts. Organizations like the WWF support laws that help Indigenous communities continue these cultural practices.

Fossil ivory, like mammoth tusks found in places like Siberia, has become more popular since restrictions on elephant ivory trade. Collecting these ancient tusks provides income for local communities. However, it's important to make sure that collecting methods don't harm the environment.

Sometimes, tusks on animals in human care might need to be trimmed or removed by veterinarians for their health and safety. Scientists are also exploring ways to manage tusks to help prevent conflicts between wildlife and people.