Tusk measurements provide insight into elephant population dynamics

Abstract

The paper discusses how information about individual elephants can be derived from tusks. Using data from culled elephants, mathematic models have been developed which use tusk measurement to deteremine age and sex. Given the models presented, the lip circumference and total length of the tusk, in combination, can determine sex, and lip circumference or weight can predict age. Sex and age together can be used to construct mortality patterns which give a clear idea of the elephants killed to supply any ivory consignment which has basic tusk dimensions recorded.