What's the Point of Tusks?

elephant tusks
(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Tusks, those ivory spears that protrude from the jaws of certain large mammals, are actually elongated teeth. Ivory, the stuff they're made of, is a type of dentine calcium-rich tooth tissue .

The tusks of elephants and narwhals are modified permanent upper incisors, whereas the tusks of walruses, warthogs and wild boars are outsized canines .

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