Animals / babirusa-tusk-growth
Facts about Babirusa Tusk Growth
- 05
Female babirusas do not grow the prominent curved tusks seen in males, making tusk development a strongly sex-linked trait in this species.
- 04
Male babirusa tusks serve little practical function in fighting or foraging, leading researchers to study their role primarily as display structures for mate attraction.
- 03
Unlike most mammals, male babirusas lack a protective sheath for their upper tusks, leaving them exposed and vulnerable to breakage as they grow.
- 02
The upper tusks of male babirusas can continue growing throughout their lives and, if left unchecked, may eventually pierce the skull.
- 01
In male babirusas, the upper canine tusks grow upward through the skin of the snout rather than emerging from the mouth, curving back toward the skull.