ageing in elephants is really something amazing thing that every wildlife lover can appreciate.

1. DETERMINATION OF AGE
IN ELEPHANTS
BY-
Dr. SWAYAM PRAKASH NAYAK

2. DETERMINATION OF AGE IN
ELEPHANTS
Construction of age structures of populations is
central to studies of demography of large
vertebrates like elephants.
Certain field methods used for estimating the
age of individual elephant are listed below.
 Ear size, extent of upper fold of the ears,
depigmentation of ears.
 Temporal and buccal depression .
Tusk thickness (for males in Asian& both sexes in
African).
Teeth analysis, measurements and weights.

3. DETERMINATION OF AGE IN
ELEPHANTS
Estimation of body measurements (typically height
at withers or body length) or morphological
characteristics with those of elephants of known age.
By photographing elephants for estimating shoulder
height more precisely.
Dung & foot print analysis.
Eye lens measurement.(Particularly in African
elephants)

4. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON EAR
In very young elephant of 6-7
years of age, the pinnae,top of the
ears is not turned over; but with
advancing age it twirls over.
In old elephants the turning
over of the upper edge of the
pinnae is very prominant
and the ear is usually ragged and
torn along the lower ridge.
As the elephant gets older
,depigmentation of ear occurs.

5. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON EAR
Age [years] Degree of ear folding or curling Depigmentation of ears
25-30 Ear fold begins, is clearly visible (25%
fold) by about age 30 years
Depigmentation begins with
small reddish dots at corner of
the ear pinnae.
30-40 Fold progresses from front to back of ear.
Over 50% fold by age 40 years
Depigmentation is clearly
visible by the age of 40 years
40-50 Fold complete between age 40 and 50
years but the fold in still curled
Depigmentation becomes very
prominent by the age of 45-50
>50 The ear fold attends completely beyond
50 years
50 years
Above 50 years clearly seen as
reddish layer along the outer
side of corner of the ear

6. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
SHOULDER HEIGHT
0 90 89 120 120
1 121 119 330 310
2 139 135 520 470
3 155 149 705 610
4 169 161 920 710
5 180 170 1130 810
6 190 177 1340 930
7 198 183 1540 1055
8 205 188 1730 1180
9 212 193 1900 1300
10 217 197 2065 1415
11 222 200 2200 1525
12 225 203 2320 1635
13 228 206 2400 1735
14 231 209 2500 1830
15 235 213 2645 1925
20 250 228 2970 2300
25 262 234 3400 2560
30 268 238 3650 2740
40 272 240 3800 2930
Height
Age (cm) Weight (kg)
(years) M F M F
The height is
twice the
circumference of
the front foot
(CFF)
for all ages.

7. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
HEIGHT

8. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
HEIGHT

9. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
TUSK
 This method is only used for
Asian male elephants & both sexes
of African elephants.
Tusk is nothing but 2 incisors
,appear at the age of 1.5-2 years.
Approximately, tusk
circumference at the lip line doubles
between the time the male leaves
the family units up to about 30 yeas
of age.

10. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
TUSK
0 - -
1 - -
2 - -
3 7.6 0.1
4 9.8 0.2
5 11.9 0.4
6 13.8 0.7
7 15.7 1.1
8 17.4 1.5
9 19.0 2.1
10 20.5 2.6
11 21.9 3.2
12 23.3 3.9
13 24.5 4.6
14 25.7 5.3
15 26.8 6.1
20 31.3 10.0
25 34.6 13.6
30 37.0 16.8
40 40.0 21.4
Age Tusks in males
(years) CTLL (cm) Weight (kg)
ASIAN
MALE
ELEPHANT
CTLL:
Circumference of
Tusk lip length

11. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
TUSK
Age Appearance
New born Juvenile
2 years Emerging. Less than 8 cm in length
3-8 years The base of male tusks begin expanding from
age three. The circumference at the lip line
exceeds that of the base at around age 4 years
of age.The lip line and base circumferences for
females remains the same.
9-17 years Sub-adult
18-60 years Adult Tusks of males splay outwards, this
appearance becoming more conspicuous in
older males. The tusks of females do not splay
.
In an adult animal, about two thirds of the tusk is visible
while the remaining one third is embedded in the socket

12. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
TUSK
TUSK SHAPE IN AFRICAN ELEPHANTS-
Shape for male tusks is visibly
different from females starting from
age 3 or 4 years.
From tip to base of tusks, males
have an attenuated shape while
females have slender, uniform shape
of tusk except at the tip where
wearing changes the shape of tusk
around the tip area only.

13. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
TEETH
This method is quite applicable to
non living elephants or anaesthetized
elephant.
Dental formula-10,00,33,33=
total 26 no. Teeth.
It is the molar teeth of elephant that
form the basis for age determination
6 molar teeth develop on each side
of upper and lower jaw, as M1 to M6
All the teeth are deciduous and at
any time no more than 2 of the 6 teeth
in wear simultaneously in any one of
the half of the jaw
Each tooth that comes in to wear is
longer & wider than the previous one

14. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
TEETH
As each molar comes in to wear, it
moves forward to the front of the jaw
where they get worn down in small
fragments and broken off and the
next one grows forward from the
back to replace it.
Tooth M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6
Ages of
use,
African
0-1
years
1-2
years
2-6
years
6-15
years
15-28
years
28-47
years
Ages of
use,
Asian
0-1
years
1-6
years
6-8.5
years
8.5-22.5
years
22.5-40
years
40-70
years

15. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
TEETH
The last molar M6 is worn
down & it is estimated that at
about60 yrs of age just a
fragment of tooth remains.
So as it is unable to chew its
food, the elephant dies of
starvation.

16. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
TEETH
A complete (full) molar has no
frontal or rear wear, and has at
least 8 or more lamellae (tooth
ridges).
In the absence of callipers,
measure the length and width
of the molar using your index
fingers.
This helps to estimate the
correct molar number to use in
estimating the elephant’s age
according to Jachmann’s (1988)
chart.

17. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
TEETH
How to measure teeth-(Jachmann’s guide)
A single tooth as long as, or smaller
than, your index finger is M1 or M2-
Juvenile(0-2 years)
If longer than a single finger, up to two
index fingers that touch aloang a tooth
indicate M3 (or M2+M3) (10-14cm)- 3 to 8
years
If there is a gap between your two
index fingers this indicates M4, or M4 +
emerging M5.- 9 to 17 years.
A tooth longer than three finger
lengths (long gap between fingers) is
indicative of M5 or M6.-18 + years

18. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
BODY APPEARANCE
Age estimate Body Appearance
New born Hairy, grey skin, smooth,
with no wrinkles(pinkish
type)
2 years No hairy patches on body
3-8 years Body is usually “funnel
shaped” from side view
9-17 years Body is “box shaped” from
size view
18-60 years Body shape differs for
males and females.

19. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
BODY APPEARANCE
 African Males: shoulder
height rise above rump and
this sloped shape becomes
more prominent with age.
African Females: shoulder
and rump remains same
height but back elongates and
shows saddle back, become
more prominent with age.

20. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON EYE
Exclusively used for African Elephants.
As it is an ectodermal strucure,there
is little or no wear out of the lens.
And with age it steadily increases in
size and mass.
As an elephant grows older, its eye
lens becomes heavier.
For accurate comparative purposes,
the lens is removed from the eye and
stored in fixative.
After drying it can be weighed.

21. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
OTHER CHARACTERS
 Brownish to reddish hair covers the
bodies of young elephants. The amount
of hair reduces with age, and the colour
darkens.
On examination of dung , if there are
undigested matter it indicates old age.
The foot prints may give an indication
Of pads having worn out, in case of old
age.

22. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
OTHER CHARACTERS
In estimating the age of a grown up
elephant some criteria are taken
In to account i.e
Depression on both sides of the
cheeks.
Degree of pigmentation of face
Ear tips and base of trunk.
Shrinking of trunk and legs.
Depression on both sides of the tail
root.
Gait and movement of the elephant.

23. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
OTHER CHARACTERS
Mark the shrinkage in cheek area and eye

24. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS BASED ON
OTHER CHARACTERS
Shrinking of
trunk
More wrinkled
skin-
Older elephant

25. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS
Young
(Under 12 years)
Mature
(13-45 years)
Old
(Over 46 years)
Head Skin fits tightly.
Temples are smooth.
Skin fits tightly.
Temples are slightly
depressed
Temples are deeply
concave.
Ears No curl at top of ear.
No tears at bottom of
ear.
Forward curl at top of
ears. Some tears at
bottom of ear.
Deep forward curl at
top of ears. Many
tears at bottom of ear.
Skin Thick, taut, smooth,
and unblemished.
Supple to the touch.
Thick and not very
wrinkled. Supple to
the touch
Wrinkled, droopy,
rough and dry
Muscles Bundled, strong. Bundled, strong. Flabby and weak.

26. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS
Feet and nails Circumference of
foot and ankle are
about the same.
Toenails are
smooth.
Circumference of
foot is a bit larger
than the ankle.
Toenails are
smooth. Footpad
is not cracked.
Circumference of
foot much larger
than ankle.
Toenails are
spread apart.
Toenails are
chalky/rough.
Tail Not
knotted/kinked.
Tail hairs are
orderly.
Not
knotted/kinked.
Tail hairs are
orderly.
Knobby. Missing
tail hair.
Dung Finely textured Finely textured Coarse, with
undigested leaves

27. AGEING OF ELEPHANTS
Young elephant Old elephant

28. Toe nails of old elephants
Tail base folds

30. Adult female elephant (Note the
folding of the ear, depression of the
temporal region and the buccal
cavity).
Sub adult female elephant with a
calf (Note the slight folds and the
peak of the calf being just above
the belly of the sub adult. The
peak of a calf would be under the
belly for an adult elephant).

31. THANK YOU