Will tusks disappear from elephants?

ELEPHANTS in China are evolving into an increasingly tuskless breed because poaching is changing the gene pool, according to new research by zoologists.

Up to 10 per cent of Asian elephants in China now have a gene that prevents them from developing tusks, up from the usual level of 2 per cent, academics at Beijing Normal University said.

Zhang Li, an associate professor of zoology, said: "The larger tusks the male elephant has, the more likely it will be shot by poachers.

"Therefore, the elephants without tusks survive, preserving the tuskless gene in the species."

Since only male elephants have tusks, there are now four female elephants for each male in China, up from the ideal ratio of two, Prof Zhang said.

Similar changes in elephants' tusk development and gender ratios have been reported in Africa and India, but China was not thought to have been as badly affected.

And for those of you who want to comment on evolution, go ahead. But let me note one simple fact for you -- this is, at best, a microevolutionary change, not a macroevolutionary one. After all, they are still clearly ELEPHANTS.

Posted by: Greg at 06:47 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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