Woolly Mammoth Tusk Fossil Fragment from Alaska

This authentic Woolly Mammoth tusk fossil fragment preserves the weathered outer surface of a tusk that once belonged to one of the great herbivores of the Ice Age. Recovered from a gravel bar in Alaska's Tanana River Valley, it displays rich earthy brown and tan colouring, natural surface weathering and the characteristic elongated texture of mammoth tusk material. Its irregular edges and fractures are part of its natural history, giving this specimen the character of fossil material shaped by thousands of years in Alaska's harsh environment.

Specimen Details

✓ Fossil: Woolly Mammoth tusk, Mammuthus primigenius
✓ Specimen: S974
✓ Locality: Tanana River Valley, Alaska, USA
✓ Geological Age: Pleistocene Epoch / Ice Age
✓ Material: Fossil mammoth tusk / fossil ivory
✓ Condition: Naturally weathered and fragmented
✓ Size: 34mm x 145mm x 15mm
✓ Weight: 64 gram

The Woolly Mammoth

The Woolly Mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) was one of the most iconic animals of the Pleistocene Epoch. Closely related to modern elephants, it was adapted to the cold environments of northern Eurasia and North America. Its thick coat, dense underfur and insulating body fat helped it survive the harsh conditions of the Ice Age.

Alaska formed part of Beringia, the vast Ice Age landscape that once connected Alaska and Siberia. Much of this region remained ice-free and supported grasslands where mammoths, horses, bison and other Ice Age animals lived.

As the Ice Age ended, the climate became warmer and wetter, transforming the mammoth-steppe environment and reducing the grasslands on which mammoths depended. Human activity may also have contributed to their decline. Most mainland Woolly Mammoths disappeared around 10,000 years ago, although isolated populations survived for thousands of years longer. The last known Woolly Mammoths lived on Wrangel Island until approximately 4,000 years ago.

Why Are Mammoth Tusks Often Broken and Split?

Complete mammoth tusks are much less commonly found than fragments. After a mammoth died, its tusks could remain buried for thousands of years, exposed to pressure, moisture, mineral changes and repeated freezing and thawing. These processes can create weaknesses and enlarge existing cracks within the fossilized dentine.

River systems can add further wear. As Alaskan rivers erode ancient sediments and permafrost, buried mammoth remains become exposed and can be moved through gravel deposits. Contact with rocks and gravel can cause already-fractured tusks to break into sections.

The cracks, splits and weathering seen on this specimen are therefore part of its story. They record a long journey from an Ice Age mammoth, through burial and preservation, to eventual discovery in the Tanana River Valley.