Elephants in Mozambique are facing an unusual challenge: a rise in tuskless females. Scientists believe this is linked to poaching during the Mozambican Civil War (1977-1992). Here’s a breakdown of what happened:
- Heavy Poaching During War: Both sides in the civil war engaged in poaching, leading to a dramatic decline in the elephant population – a staggering 90% drop!
- Tuskless Elephants Survive: During this time, elephants with tusks were more likely to be targeted by poachers. This meant tuskless elephants had a better chance of survival and reproduction.
- Genetic Link: The study suggests a genetic mutation on the X chromosome causes tusklessness. However, this mutation is lethal to male elephants.
- More Tuskless Females: As a result of the war, the proportion of tuskless females in the population nearly tripled, from 18.5% to 50.9%.
- Long-Term Impact: Even though the war ended and elephant numbers are recovering, the percentage of tuskless females remained high (33%) as of 2010. This suggests a lasting evolutionary change in the elephant population.
The Importance of Tusks: The loss of tusks is a concern because they are crucial tools for elephants. They use them for digging, stripping bark for food, fighting, and more. A decline in tusks could affect the overall health of the ecosystem.
The Takeaway: This study reveals how human actions, like war and poaching, can have a significant and unexpected impact on wildlife, even leading to evolutionary changes within a species.
