African Elephants evolving
Perhaps the beautiful elephants will not murdered to extinction after all.
See what I have just read:
"Decades ago, about 4,000 elephants lived in the National Park in Mozambique. Only 2 - 4% were born with no tusks.
During 1977 - 1992, (Civil War), 90% of these elephants were killed for their ivory, as their tusks could be traded for weapons.
The females without tusks were ignored and left alive.
These tuskless females went on to breed, and now, scientists from Kent University have found that nearly 33% of females born, also have no tusks.
So those elephants that were ignored by the poachers were able to reproduce babies that were carrying the same gene for being tuskless.
Great news for the future in the way that they will not be wanted by the poachers, but there is also a downside.
Elephants use their tusks to dig, eat and lift things, and to defend themselves, so will being tuskless affect their every day life?
Scientists have attached GPS satellite collars to 10 females from different family units to monitor how they manage."
Let's hope all the Bull elephants are not killed so these tuskless females can still breed, then as long as they can cope with life, they should remain safe.