Female African elephants are ‘rapidly evolving’ to be born without tusks, according to a team of scientists in their work published in the journal Science. They suspect this is due to ivory poaching, an unfortunate process that began during Mozambique’s 15-year Civil War, from 1977 to 1992.
The researchers used field data and surveys, as well as historical video images and contemporary sighting data to assess how the war affected the African elephant population in Gorongosa National Park. Elephant populations were reduced by 90%.
Elephants that survived poaching were more likely to be tuskless, meaning their children were also born tuskless, according to the team from Princeton University in New Jersey.
“Understanding the evolutionary consequences of wildlife exploitation is increasingly important as harvesting becomes more efficient,” the study authors write. “This study provides evidence for a rapid selection, mediated by poaching, for the loss of a prominent anatomical feature in a keystone species.”
A new effect of the human being in the world
The culling of species, whether for food, security or profit, has become more common and intense as human populations and technology have grown.
Referencia: Ivory poaching and the rapid evolution of tusklessness in African elephants
Shane C. Campbell-Staton https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9778-7302 Brian J. ArnoldDominique GonçalvesPetter Granli https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7863-8034Joyce Poole https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8389-3232Ryan A. Long https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0124-7641and Robert M. Pringle https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7487-5393 Authors Info & Affiliations
Science • 22 Oct 2021 • Vol 374, Issue 6566 • pp. 483-487 • DOI: 10.1126/science.abe7389
