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Let's find out who will find the answer to the following question:More wild elephants will be born without tusks, researchers say. A study found the tuskless phenomenon is spreading in the wild.The tusk-free gene, which is found in between 2 and 5% percent of male elephants, has increased to between 5 and 10%.How do you explain this situation?
Well, the obvious answer would be that the tuskless elephants are not being killed and are therefore reproducing at a faster rate than tusked elephants.At first I was gravitating toward evolution in the face of ivory poachers, until I realized that that would take, oh, probably thousands, if not tens of thousands, of years!
First, do you have a link to the original research on this? I'm curious at how long it took for this increase to occur? And has this been found in both Asian and African elephants? (if I'm not mistaken, there is a lot more poaching of African elephants than Asian)Without looking at it, I think tuskless elephants are at a disadvantage. Although it may lessen poaching, it's not a good thing for the elephant, IMO. Tusks are used for self-defense, eating, etc.
Oh, duh. Based on what Ski said, the entire elephant pool is smaller. Since more tusked elephants are being killed off than tuskless, the proportion of the latter has increased. Now, assuming this is the answer, the part about “A study found the tuskless phenomenon is spreading in the wild” is a bit of a scam statement.
That research was about Asian elephants (around 1999) and the link will be available. Poaching is part of the explanation but not the only reason for that increase of tusk-free gene.
Perhaps the tuskless males are mating with more tusked females, perhaps due do the lack of tusked males?
Male elephant behaviour didn't change: no increase of frenzy or lust, no seed dating different than normal.As Ski said: only male elephants have tusks which enhance their chance for reproduction and survival.The tusk-less gene is more an impairing feature.
Ah, a basic piece of info I wish I would have known a few replies ago. Call me elephant ignorant.
I suppose my point could still hold true – that tuskless males are mating with more females who carry the regular tusked gene. However, I'm guessing this still ain't true!Well, I'm out of ideas. If the increase in tuskless elephants is not because of a relative size increase, or because of mating practices, I'm not sure what it could be.From Google:Kettlewell – Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/KettlewellWikipediaKettlewell is a village in Upper Wharfedale, North Yorkshire, England. It lies 6 miles (10 km) north of Grassington, at the point where Wharfedale is joined by a …
I suppose my point could still hold true – that tuskless males are mating with more females who carry the regular tusked gene. However, I'm guessing this still ain't true!Well, I'm out of ideas. If the increase in tuskless elephants is not because of a relative size increase, or because of mating practices, I'm not sure what it could be.
