elephants_pdf

Overview of Joyce Poole's Research on Elephants

• Joyce Poole, expert in elephant behavior and communication, studies elephant populations in African regions, including Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique.

Historical Context

• Civil War Impact: 1977-1992 civil war in Mozambique drastically reduced elephant populations, with over 90% killed.

• Populations still show signs of trauma and recovery from extensive poaching.

Current Observations in Gorongosa

• Monitoring Status: Poole studies the recovery status of elephants, focusing on a noted higher percentage of tuskless females.

• 2011 Observations: Encountered a group of fifty elephants predominantly without tusks.

Tusks: Importance and Survival

• Tusks are elongated incisors critical for multiple survival activities:

  • Stripping bark from trees.

  • Digging for water and minerals.

  • Males use tusks in contests for mating.

• Tuskless Males vs. Females: Tuskless males are rare due to the risks of insufficient defensive abilities in competition, while females can be tuskless without as severe consequences.

• Genetic Aspect of Tusklessness: Tusklessness is an inheritable trait, similar to other physical characteristics like ear size and eye color.

Effects of Poaching on Tusk Distribution

• Heavy poaching during the civil war targeted large-tusked elephants for ivory, leading to increased survival rates among tuskless females.

• Population Analysis: Among older adult females who lived through the war, up to 50% are now tuskless, showing a direct correlation between poaching and tusk frequency.

  • Younger female populations (ages 10-20) exhibit a tusklessness rate of 33%.

  • There have been no sightings of tuskless males, indicating sexual dimorphism in tusk presence.

• The offspring of tuskless mothers are increasingly likely to inherit this trait, further adjusting the population dynamics post-poaching.

Broader Patterns in Africa

• Poole's research indicates similar patterns of tusklessness in heavily poached populations in other regions such as Selous in Southern Tanzania and Queen Elizabeth in Uganda.

• Current poaching trends favor the survival of tuskless elephants as they are less targeted due to the demand for ivory.

Conclusion: Implications of Ivory Demand

• The ongoing demand for ivory not only affects the number of elephants but also leads to significant changes in the genetic makeup of elephant populations, influencing future traits and behaviors.