Tusklessness in Female Elephants of Gorongosa Writing Assignment

Joyce Poole is an expert in elephant communication and behavior. What happened in Mozambique between 1977 and 1992? How did this event affect the size of Gorongosa National Park’s elephant population? There was a civil war, during which 90% of Gorongosa’s elephant population was killed.

What is unusual about the elephant populations found in Gorongosa now? A high proportion of the female elephants in Gorongosa are tuskless.

What are tusks? How does an elephant use its tusks? Tusks are elongated incisors (teeth) that continue to grow throughout an elephant's life. Elephants use their tusks to strip bark off trees and to dig holes for water and minerals. Male elephants also use their tusks to fight other males for females.

What would probably happen to a male elephant that doesn’t have tusks? The male could be severely wounded while fighting other males for access to females. Therefore, tusklessness in male elephants is a rare trait.

What percentage of females are typically tuskless in an elephant population less affected by poaching? About 2% to 6% of the female elephants are typically tuskless. Tusklessness is an inherited trait. Tuskless females tend to have tuskless offspring.

Why were elephants with tusks targeted during the civil war in Mozambique? Soldiers killed elephants for their ivory, which was sold to buy arms and ammunition.

What percentage of female elephants were tuskless in Gorongosa according to Poole’s surveys? Civil War Survivors (20+ years old) Tuskless females 50% Offspring of Civil War Survivors (10-20 years old) Tuskless females 33%

How many adult males without tusks have been found in Gorongosa National Park? None.

Is the link between heavy poaching and a high incidence of tuskless females unique to Gorongosa? No, this link is not unique to Gorongosa. The Selous elephant population in Southern Tanzania and the Queen Elizabeth elephant population in Uganda also have high rates of poaching and tusklessness.