The African elephant can live up to 60 years, making it one of the longest-living land mammals after humans. But how do scientists, conservationists, and even safari-goers determine the age of an elephant? In this article, we’ll explore the various methods used to age elephants, from scientific techniques to practical tips. We’ll also take a look at some of Tsavo’s more iconic elephants and try our hand at aging them.
The scientific method
The most reliable way to determine an elephant’s age is by examining its teeth. Elephants are unique in that they have six sets of molars throughout their lifetime. These molars are essential for grinding up the plant material that makes up their diet. The molars form at the back of the jaw and move slowly forward and upward as they wear down. When one set is worn out, it falls out, and a new set moves into place. Scientists study the varying degrees of wear on an elephant’s teeth to determine its age.
How to age elephants on safari
While examining teeth might be the most accurate method, it’s not exactly practical when you’re on a safari in the wilds of Africa. However, there are still ways to estimate the age of elephants based on their physical characteristics and behavior.
Aging elephant calves

Newborns: When elephant calves are born, they have a pinkish hue behind their ears and are covered in fine hair. Calves that have no visible tusks and can fit beneath their mother’s belly are typically under one year old. At this stage, they are entirely dependent on their mother’s milk.
Under Two Years: Calves younger than two years old have not yet mastered the use of their trunks for drinking water. If you see a calf bending down to drink with its mouth, it’s likely under two years old.
Two to Three Years: Between 18 months and two years old, tusks begin to emerge. By the time a calf is three years old, its tusks usually extend about 10 cm (4 inches) beyond the lip. This is also the age when calves are fully weaned, as their tusks make suckling uncomfortable for the mother.
Age categories of male elephants
Sub-Adult (5-15 Years):
Behavioral Characteristics: Bulls in this age range have been weaned but still stay close to the family unit, relying on their mothers for psychological support.
Physical Characteristics: These bulls are smaller than the mature females in the herd, with tusks that are either just visible as buds or splayed rather than convergent. Their head shape is narrow and similar to that of young females.

Young Adult (15-25 Years):
Behavioral Characteristics: These bulls are independent of the family unit but haven’t yet experienced their first musth cycle (a periodic condition of increased testosterone levels, characterized by aggressive behavior). They often stay on the periphery of breeding herds or in bachelor groups.
Physical Characteristics: Their tusks begin to converge and take on a more adult configuration, though they are still not thick at the base. Their head shape starts to develop an hourglass appearance, though the sockets from which the tusks protrude remain narrow. Bulls over 17 years old are typically the same height as the largest female in the herd.
Adult (25-35 Years):
Behavioral Characteristics: Bulls in this age range may start to experience short, sporadic musth cycles.
Physical Characteristics: These bulls are larger than females, with more pronounced hourglass-shaped heads and thicker tusks.
Prime Adult (35-55 Years):
Behavioral Characteristics: Bulls in their prime exhibit distinct musth periods lasting 2-4 months.
Physical Characteristics: These bulls are massive, often twice the size of adult females. Their shoulder height and back length increase, with a hollow area developing between the shoulder blades and the pelvic area. The tusks are thick and set wide at the base, and the head has a broad, hourglass shape with visible temple depressions.
The photo below shows the Super Tusker KM2, who exhibits all the signs of an elephant in the prime of his life and is believed to have sired many offspring within the Tsavo Conservation Area.

Retired Bulls (55-65 Years):
Behavioral Characteristics: Older bulls no longer experience musth and tend to retire to areas with softer vegetation, like riverine zones.
Physical Characteristics: Their ears hang lower, and their backs are more hollow. The last set of molars comes into wear around 45 years old and can take up to 15 years to wear down. As they age, they lose body condition, and their temples become deeply sunken, giving them a gaunt appearance.
Female African elephants
For female African elephants, determining age can be a bit more challenging. Female elephants reach sexual maturity around 10 to 12 years old. During this time, their backs continue to lengthen, but their shoulder height doesn’t increase significantly. As they age, older elephant cows develop longer backs and thicker tusks compared to their younger counterparts. Additionally, females over 50 years of age often show deep depressions in their heads and take on a gaunt appearance, particularly in their later years.

At Tsavo Trust, our mission is to ensure that elephants live out their full, natural lives, free from the threat of poaching. Protecting these magnificent animals is at the heart of everything we do, as we work tirelessly to safeguard their future in the wild. If you would like to support our efforts in preserving these iconic creatures, please follow this link to learn how you can help.