More and more female African elephants are now born without tusks. In other words, human actions are “literally changing the anatomy” of wild animals, according to a new study.
Good new, right? Evolution may keep elephants alive, despite humanity's relentless and unabating hunger for their ivory!
But if a disrupted gene is passed in a male elephant, the elephant dies
Oh.
Tusklessness can change elephant behavior that is important for the ecosystem at large. Elephants use tusks to create new space for other grassland plants and also create habitats for other species.
Oh...
Moreover, tusked and tuskless elephants eat different plants. “Because elephants are keystone species, changes in their diet can change the whole landscape,” study co-author Robert Pringle, a biologist at Princeton, noted.
“This is a wake-up call in terms of coming to grips with humans as a dominant evolutionary force on the planet.” A really important article. This is so heavy on my heart. Donating to wildlife conservation is so important.
Good new, right? Evolution may keep elephants alive, despite humanity's relentless and unabating hunger for their ivory!
Oh.
Oh...
Oh no.
Thanks for posting this very important article. We need to know, care and donate to wildlife conservation.
“This is a wake-up call in terms of coming to grips with humans as a dominant evolutionary force on the planet.” A really important article. This is so heavy on my heart. Donating to wildlife conservation is so important.