See an Elephant Tusk That Is Taller Than Lebron James

Continue reading for our analysis...

In Africa, you never know what you might find at the watering hole. Some animals of all species, shapes, and sizes come to hydrate or cool their bodies off. Now and then, we see elephants, the giants that walk the earth. This massive mammal has a lot to be amazed by, and their tusks are a large part of that. Let’s not miss the video shown above! 

Elephant At Watering Hole in Africa

This YouTube clip at the beginning of this blog post brings us to Africa, where elephants roam freely and happily. The Africam Videos YouTube page is famous for its live camera feeds. They capture amazing animals such as hippopotamus, crocodiles, snakes, buffaloes, giraffes, and impalas. Upon reviewing footage from that night, this YouTube team was astonished at how massive this elephant tusk was. It almost reached the ground!

Massive Elephant Tusk Reaching to the Ground

As the video above starts, it seems to be a crisp, cool morning in Africa. We hear the birds chirping as the world seems to wake up. Many animals seen at the watering hole have been awake for hours. 

The live camera feed shows this African giant coming for some water. The African elephant is most famously known for being the largest of the elephant species and for being the biggest land animal. However, we should all take a moment to appreciate just how large one tusk can be, let alone two.

Suddenly, his head moves, and we clearly see how large his tusk is. Can you imagine having something sitting on your face that was taller than a basketball player? Well, this elephant sure can. 

Lebron James is a famous basketball player for the Los Angeles Lakers. He is reported as reaching about six feet and nine inches in height. Well, an African elephant tusk can reach lengths of 3.5 meters (7.7 feet) over time! Making this tusk taller than this star basketball player. This elephant’s tusk will continue to grow every year at a rate of about 6.7 inches. 

Are elephant tusks only there for looks? Let’s find out below!

What Do Elephants Use Their Tusks For?

When we look at animals, it can be easy to think that parts of their body are there just because. However, an elephant’s tusk is so much more than adornment to be admired by people and animals. 

According to the National Library of Medicine, “African elephants (Loxodonta africana) use their tusks for digging, carrying and behavioral display.” As herbivores, elephants will dig for a variety of plant matter. They will also eat bark from trees that they strip with their tusks. 

In addition to eating and adornment, elephants will use their tusks to defend themselves in a fight. As we can see from the video above, the one tusk on this elephant has experienced damage. And he wears this as a badge of honor to show the scars of his battles.