Elephant tusks are elongated incisor teeth. One third of the tusk is embedded deep in the elephant’s head, and consists of tissue, blood and nerves. The longer, visible part, is made of dentine with an outer layer of enamel. This is ivory.

Elephants tusks never stop growing. Some old bulls display enormous examples, although the average size has decreased as elephants have been hunted for their ivory and the overall elephant population declines.

Big Tim, one of the last remaining giant ‘tusker’ elephants died early this year of natural courses, aged 50.

An elephant’s tusks serve a variety of purposes: digging for water, lifting branches, stripping bark from trees to eat, and for defence. The tusks also protect the trunk which is used for drinking, breathing, tearing branches from trees for food, and spraying water over themselves.