While the image of an elephant often includes prominent tusks, not all Asian elephants possess these elongated incisors. The presence of tusks in Elephas maximus varies significantly, influenced by the elephant’s sex and geographical origin.
Tusks in Asian Elephants: The General Rule
Male Asian elephants develop large, visible tusks. These modified incisor teeth grow continuously throughout an elephant’s life, serving purposes from foraging to defense. Female Asian elephants do not grow tusks; instead, they may have very small, rudimentary tusks known as “tushes.” Tushes are only an inch or two in length, more brittle than tusks, and have a different internal composition.
A notable exception to tusked males are “makhnas,” which are tuskless male Asian elephants. Makhnas have always existed in various populations, such as in parts of India, but their prevalence differs significantly by region. For example, a 2024 estimation in Assam, India, found that makhnas constituted 64.5% of the male elephant population.
Why Tusks Differ: Genetics and Geography
The variation in tusk presence, especially the occurrence of makhnas, is influenced by genetic factors and evolutionary pressures, including historical poaching. In some regions, such as Sri Lanka, over 90% of male elephants lack tusks, suggesting a strong genetic component. Research indicates that genes such as AMELX and MEP1a, involved in tooth formation, may contribute to the tuskless condition.
Intense ivory poaching has historically targeted tusked elephants, inadvertently leading to a higher survival rate for tuskless individuals. This selective pressure has resulted in an increase in the proportion of makhnas in some populations, as the genes for tusklessness are passed on through surviving elephants. For instance, in southern India, while the proportion of makhnas was historically less than 5%, ivory poaching in the 1980s and 1990s caused this frequency to increase to possibly 20-25% of the male population.
Beyond Tusks: Distinguishing Asian and African Elephants
Beyond tusk differences, several other physical characteristics help differentiate Asian elephants from their African counterparts. African elephants, including both African bush and African forest elephants, have larger ears that resemble the shape of the African continent, while Asian elephants have smaller, more rounded ears. This ear size difference is related to climate, with larger ears in African elephants aiding heat dissipation in hotter environments.
Head shape also distinguishes them; African elephants have a more rounded head, whereas Asian elephants exhibit a “twin-domed” head with a distinct indentation running up the middle. The trunk tip is another distinguishing feature: African elephants have two finger-like projections at the end of their trunks, which assist in grasping objects, while Asian elephants possess only one “finger” on the upper side. Asian elephants are smaller in overall body size and weight compared to African elephants, and their skin is smoother with occasional freckles, unlike the more wrinkled skin of African elephants.