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Old 06-30-2018, 05:42 PM
 
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Hugely interesting - a possibly trait for survival

Where Female Elephants Without Tusks Roam — and Poachers Stay Away

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/16/w...nts-tusks.html
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Old 06-30-2018, 09:30 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Clarallel View Post
Hugely interesting - a possibly trait for survival

Where Female Elephants Without Tusks Roam — and Poachers Stay Away

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/16/w...nts-tusks.html
I've heard about this for several years now. Elephants without tusks carry on their genetics while those with larger tusks are less likely to survive long due to poaching.
If that's what it takes to save elephants from becoming extinct, then nature is giving them a helping hand.
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Old 07-01-2018, 07:02 AM
 
Location: The Driftless Area, WI
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Classic example of punctuated evolution, as opposed to gradual evolution. If the pressure on the gene pool acts suddenly, then the response of the gene pool will be swift.



It was only 4 or 5 decades ago that Africa was considered over-populated with elephants (due to shrinking habitat). Between the elephants destroying their own food source and poaching, the situation is now reversed.


Nature is all about dynamic equilibrium-- just like tight rope walking: you don't stand perfectly still, but wobble ever so slightly back and forth if you're good, and with wider swings if you're not so good at it.
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Old 07-01-2018, 07:14 AM
 
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I've mentioned it before but it's become the same thing with rattle snakes in some areas. They are no longer rattling because those that rattle are killed by people. Those that stay silent aren't found very easily and live on to reproduce at a greater rate than those that rattle.
What was once an evolutionary advantage is now a disadvantage.
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