How long will elephant bones last??

baxterb

AH elite
Joined
Jun 12, 2019
Messages
1,228
Reaction score
2,793
Media
2
Too long of a story to explain why I'm asking, but in a dry/desert area - what is an educated guess as to how long large elephant bones/skull may last? We hear of 'elephant grave yards' but how long do those old bones last?
 
Too long of a story to explain why I'm asking, but in a dry/desert area - what is an educated guess as to how long large elephant bones/skull may last? We hear of 'elephant grave yards' but how long do those old bones last?

Not sure, but a very long time is a reasonable answer. I’ve seen a lot of old bones in Africa. The ones used as landscaping, sitting on gravel, concrete, or stone slabs, were very old And showed very little wear. Those under eaves protected from UV looked even better.

I’ll let the PHs answer for you because they are the ones that own these skulls in their gardens and they seem to be holding up for a very long time.
 
If they are protected from rodents porcupine hyenas and anything else that eats calcium they last a long time. But if left in a natural environment they will succumb to said environment.
 
If covered by sand, thousands of years.

I’ve seen bones that last decades above ground in arid conditions if there is nothing eating them. However, there is a natural breakdown by UV light and wind erosion that depends on exposure. There are bone diagenesis studies that explain the process and timelines.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
53,632
Messages
1,131,577
Members
92,701
Latest member
jack849688
 

 

 

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Early morning Impala hunt, previous link was wrong video

Headshot on jackal this morning

Mature Eland Bull taken in Tanzania, at 100 yards, with 375 H&H, 300gr, Federal Premium Expanding bullet.

20231012_145809~2.jpg
 
Top