In the absence of peer-reviewed research into the topic, Africa Geographic has embarked on an extended ongoing investigation to estimate the number of tuskers remaining in Africa.
Notes:
- This article will serve as a ‘living document’ – subject to ongoing adjustments – as additional information is brought to light. We encourage relevant experts and authorities to contribute to our understanding of this topic. All input will be treated confidentially.
- We have not provided a detailed breakdown of tuskers per country, due to the risk this may represent for unprotected elephants. The only exceptions to this rule are where specific populations are public knowledge and relevant authorities and conservation organisations have widely published their numbers.
Africa’s tuskers, also called “super tuskers”, are elephants with at least one tusk weighing 100 pounds (45kg) or more. They are icons of the continent’s heritage. However, their numbers appear to be dwindling, raising concerns about the survival of the big tusk gene. With the overall number of elephants in Africa rapidly declining, safeguarding this genetic trait and working towards their conservation is more important than ever.
How many tuskers are left?
Estimate December 2024:
Based on the information at hand, we estimate that there are 86+ tuskers remaining across Africa. Southern Africa is home to 59+, while East Africa hosts 27+ tuskers. This count excludes Central African forest elephant populations, where tusk measurements are rarely estimated. Anecdotal evidence and video footage suggest the presence of tusker forest elephants, but to date, we have been unable to determine an estimate.
| Tusker numbers in Africa – estimate | |
| Southern Africa | 59+ |
| East Africa | 27+ |
| Central Africa | Unknown |
| TOTAL | 86+ |
Sources consulted
We derived the above tusker population estimate by consulting wildlife authorities, protected area managers, conservation organisations, or elephant experts in areas where tuskers are thought to occur. Most responded with helpful insights, many with exact numbers, and some with the names and records of specific tuskers. However, some sources had not yet responded at the time of publication, including researchers from two prominent East African parks.
We also reached out to relevant hunting associations and operators. Those who responded did not provide specific numbers and redirected us to wildlife authorities for their relevant estimates. There are, therefore, significant gaps in our data – which we hope to fill in the coming years.
Challenges in counting tuskers – the variables
Accurately counting tuskers is fraught with difficulties. Many elephants avoid human contact or inhabit remote areas with no associated data, making it impossible to include them in population estimates. Furthermore, methods for estimating tusk size vary between regions, with some authorities focusing on tusk length, others on the circumference of the tusk at the lip, and others identifying tuskers by tusks that scrape the ground. One authority claimed that determining accurate tusk size is not always possible. However, it is worth noting that the same authority allocates trophy hunting quotas based on tusk size – resulting in professional hunters having to estimate tusk size when in the field with clients.
Tusk size is sexually dimorphic, with the tusks of bulls increasing on average at 11cm per year, while female tusks increase at 8.5cm per year (Spinage, 1994). Large tusks are associated with older bulls, not only because elephant tusks grow throughout their lives (Pilgram & Western, 1986) but also because they grow faster towards the latter half of a bull’s life (Laws, 1966; Spinage, 1994). Younger elephant bulls’ tusks increase in weight at 2g per day, i.e. 730g per year. In older bulls, as the tusk pulp cavity fills, the increase in weight accelerates towards the end of the bull’s life (Spinage, 1994).
We do not yet fully understand the genetic mechanisms of tusk size, which impact its heritability. Also, it is essential to clarify that there will always be individual physiological differences within any population. The ageing process (and its effects on reproductive potential) will never be the same for two individual male elephants. This is also true of elephant populations living in different parts of the continent, exposed to various environmental factors and, most importantly, consuming different diets.
Tusker populations fluctuate over time but appear, based on anecdotal feedback, to be diminishing as individuals pass away due to poaching, trophy hunting, natural causes, and human-wildlife conflict.
Emerging tuskers – young elephants with the potential to become tuskers later in life – add further complexities. Some experts provided specific emerging tusker numbers, while others said that emerging tuskers were too many to count. While some are on the brink of becoming tuskers, their exact numbers are difficult to determine, and their graduation to “tusker or super tusker” status cannot be readily estimated. Therefore, emerging tuskers add another uncertain variable to the estimation project. Our estimate above excludes emerging tuskers.
Tuskers – a proportional perspective
Understanding proportional representation within broader elephant populations is critical when assessing tusker populations. For example, the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya, with a population of ~2,000 elephants, hosts approximately ten tuskers. By contrast, Tsavo’s ~16,000-strong population supports eight tuskers. Amboseli’s higher proportional representation highlights its unique conservation value and the importance of protecting that ecosystem. Kruger National Park hosts ~27,500 elephants, and their recorded tuskers stand at 26, with an additional five large female tuskers who do not fit the 100-pound category.
Threats to the survival of tuskers
Tuskers face numerous threats, including human-wildlife conflict, trophy hunting and poaching, often before they reach their breeding prime. While older tuskers (45–50 years and above) have typically contributed significantly to their population’s genetic diversity, younger tuskers targeted by poachers and trophy hunters represent a more significant genetic loss. The removal of breeding-age elephants with large tusks imposes a selection pressure against genes favouring large tusks, potentially diminishing the occurrence of tuskers over time.
Elephant populations across Africa are in decline, with habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict, and poaching driving their numbers downward. A recent study highlighted these challenges, underscoring the urgency of protecting tuskers and the overall elephant population.
Conservation efforts and hope
Many organisations are working to protect Africa’s giant elephants. One initiative involves relocating herds with big-tusked genes to new areas to enhance their chances of survival and spread large-tusk genetic traits. Others, such as Big Life Foundation, Amboseli Trust for Elephants and Tsavo Trust, focus on anti-poaching measures, habitat conservation, and raising awareness about tuskers’ ecological and cultural significance.
Tuskers are living symbols of resilience, but their continued survival depends on collective action. Protecting them requires addressing systemic issues, from better record-keeping and census methods to enforcing stricter protections against poaching and unsustainable trophy hunting.
As Africa’s last giants roam the savannahs and forests, their fate rests in our hands. Their survival is not just about preserving tusker genes but about honouring the ecological legacy they represent.
References
- Laws, R.M. 1966. Age criteria for the African elephant, Loxodonta africana. East African Wildlife Journal 4: 1–37.
- Pilgram, T. & Western, D., 1986. Managing African elephants for ivory production through ivory trade regulations. The Journal of Applied Ecology 23: 515-529.
- Spinage, C.A., 1994. Elephants. T & A D Poyser, London.
Further reading
- Amboseli’s super tuskers are down to about 10, jeopardising the integrity of the Amboseli elephant population is in jeopardy. Read more about the trophy hunting of Amboseli’s tuskers here.
- Research has uncovered population density declines of 90% for forest elephants and 70% for savannah elephants across Africa in 53 years. Read more here.
- AG has partnered with Tsavo Trust – an organisation that monitors the elephant populations of the Tsavo Conservation Area, specifically focusing on tuskers. It does so in close cooperation with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and research and conservation partners. Read more about how you can help us save Tsavo’s tuskers here.
- The need to protect large-tusked and potentially large-tusked elephants from poaching and excessive selective hunting pressure is more apparent than ever as the progressive decrease in average tusk size over the past three decades is potentially leading to over-exploitation of older bulls. Read more here.
- Searching for super tuskers? We spotted three of these legendary elephants in one safari trip – read how we did it here.
- Does the hunting of elephant bulls with large tusks lead to the decline of Africa’s tuskers? We examine the science – read more here.
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