elephants_pdf

Who is Joyce Poole?

An expert on elephant behavior and communication, studying elephant populations in Africa.

What has Joyce Poole been studying in Gorongosa National Park?

The status of the Gorongosa elephants and their recovery from heavy poaching.

What happened to over 90% of Gorongosa's elephants during the civil war?

They were killed during the civil war that lasted from 1977 to 1992.

What peculiar characteristic are scientists monitoring in some elephant populations?

The absence of tusks in some elephant populations.

Since when has the Gorongosa Restoration Project been protecting wildlife?

Since 2008.

What percentage of tusklessness is typically seen in female elephants in less poached populations?

Only 2 to 6 percent.

Why are tusks critical for male elephants?

Males use tusks to fight for access to females.

What was one of the main reasons large-tusked elephants were killed during the civil war in Mozambique?

Their ivory was sold to buy arms and ammunition.

What historical factor selected for tuskless females in Gorongosa?

The heavy poaching during the civil war.

What is the observed trend among elephants born after the war in Gorongosa?

They were born of tuskless mothers and are not a direct consequence of poaching.

In which other African locations have large tuskless populations been observed?

Selous in Southern Tanzania and Queen Elizabeth.

What advantage do tuskless elephants have in current poaching conditions?

They are not targeted for their tusks.

What ongoing threats are affecting elephant populations in Africa?

Habitat loss and poaching.

How do traits of elephant populations change as a consequence of poaching?

The presence and proportion of tuskless elephants increase.

What did Poole's surveys indicate about tusklessness among female elephants aged 10 to 20?

33% of them are tuskless.