Tusks and Teeth

Tusks and teeth

Elephant tusks are enlarged incisor teeth made of ivory. In the African elephant both the male and the female possess tusks. When present in the female, tusks are small, thin, and often of a uniform thickness. Tusk size and shape are inherited. Tusks are used for defense, offense, digging, lifting objects, gathering food, and stripping bark to eat from trees. They also protect the sensitive trunk, which is tucked between them when the elephant charges. In times of drought, elephants dig water holes in dry riverbeds by using their tusks, feet, and trunks.