What evolution is capable of: elephants give birth to children without tusks so that they are not hunted

Females of Asian elephants have no tusks, unlike African ones. However, in the small country of Africa, Mozambique, for the last quarter of a century, scientists have observed a completely different picture: many young females did not have tusks. And this evolutionary change has occurred literally in recent decades: this is how elephants protect their generation from hunters.

Lack of tusks is a way to defend oneself

And the thing is in the bloody past of these animals: during the 16-year civil war in Mozambique, more than 90% of elephants were killed. The main reason is ivory, which was mainly sold to finance weapons and ammunition.

The civil war in Mozambique began in 1976, when about 2,500 elephants lived in the territory of a small state. By the time it ends, there are far fewer of them: less than two hundred individuals.

Usually, males of the African elephant tusks grow up to three meters, in females they are, of course, smaller. However, in the last 30 years, babies have been born in Gorongos National Park, whose tusks never grow, well, or they grow, but they are very tiny. Apparently, this trait is passed to them by their parents in order to somehow protect their cubs from death. Without tusks, they are less attractive to poachers.

Biologists with curiosity observe what is happening and conclude that the body seems to remove the gene of "large fangs" from the population.

Dislike for people

However, biologists noticed changes not only in the tusks of elephants, but also in their behavior, and they are very sad. Before the civil war, the elephants in the reserve were very peaceful and did not react at all to people. But today, despite the fact that in Mozambique it is quite calm, and the population of elephants has grown more than three times, they began to show aggression towards people. Also, elephants behave aggressively in relation to any vehicle. Biologists even gave this behavior a name: "culture of aggression." They explain that she appeared because of the need to protect her cubs from poachers.

Today, about six hundred elephants live in the territory of the national park of Gorongos. Of course, over the past decade, cases of poaching have declined significantly, but still ivory is very much appreciated. And today, in connection with the ban on plastic, interest in it is growing more and more. Therefore, the total number of elephants in Africa continues to fall.