Wild pigs, including wild boars and feral pigs, inhabit diverse ecosystems across the globe. Among their distinct physical characteristics, prominent tusks are notable. These specialized teeth serve various functions, supporting the pigs’ survival in their natural environments.
What Pig Tusks Are
Pig tusks are elongated, continuously growing canine teeth that develop from both the upper and lower jaws, protruding outside the mouth. Their composition primarily consists of dentine, similar to other teeth, with an outer layer of enamel. The lower tusks, sometimes called “cutters,” are often sharper and larger than the upper tusks, known as “whetters.” The constant grinding between the upper and lower tusks helps to self-sharpen them, maintaining their effectiveness as tools and weapons throughout the pig’s life.
Primary Roles of Tusks
Wild pigs utilize their tusks for several essential purposes, including defense, combat with other pigs, and foraging for food.
One primary role of tusks is defense against predators such as wolves, bears, and large cats. A charging boar can be a formidable threat, using its exposed tusks to slash and stab attackers. Sows, while having smaller tusks, also use them to protect themselves and their young.
Tusks are also used in intraspecific combat, particularly among males (boars) during mating season. These battles establish dominance and secure breeding rights, often resulting in fierce confrontations where tusks inflict deep wounds on rivals. The male’s tusks, along with a thickened layer of subcutaneous tissue on their shoulders, provide a formidable defense in these fights.
Beyond combat, tusks are indispensable tools for foraging. Wild pigs are omnivores, and their diet includes a variety of underground food sources like roots, tubers, fungi, and invertebrates. They use their tusks to root and dig into the ground, efficiently uncovering these hidden food items and turning over soil. This rooting behavior also plays a role in soil aeration and seed dispersal within ecosystems.
Tusk Growth and Variation Among Pigs
The tusks of wild pigs grow continuously throughout their lives, a characteristic that differentiates them from many other mammalian teeth. This ongoing growth ensures the tusks remain functional despite wear and tear.
A significant aspect of tusk development is sexual dimorphism, meaning differences between sexes. Male pigs, or boars, generally have much larger and more prominent tusks than females, or sows. For example, the lower tusks of adult boars can average about 7 inches in length and range from 5 to over 18 inches, while sows’ lower tusks typically measure 2 to 4 inches. This size difference is largely attributed to the males’ greater involvement in intraspecific combat and display. While sows’ tusks stop growing after a few years, boars’ tusks continue to lengthen throughout their lives.
Tusk size and shape also vary considerably across different wild pig species. For instance, warthog tusks are notably large; females sometimes have longer tusks that curve high over the snout, while males have thicker, less curved tusks. Babirusas, found in Indonesian islands, possess particularly distinctive tusks. In male babirusas, the upper canine teeth grow vertically through the snout’s skin, curving backward towards the forehead, and can reach lengths of up to 12 inches. These fragile tusks are thought to be used more for display or to shield the eyes during fights, rather than for direct combat, though in rare instances, they can even penetrate the animal’s skull if not worn down.