Elephants born without tusks, due to poaching. It sounds unbelievable but that's what's happening in Africa. The proof that man is even influencing this kind of change, which usually takes thousands of years
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves himElephants born without tusks, due to poaching. It sounds unbelievable but that's what's happening in Africa. Evidence that humans are even influencing this kind of change, which usually takes thousands of years.
Let us consider the events of the elephants and poaching. Nearly a third of those living in Africa have been illegally culled by poachers in the past decade to meet the demand for ivory in Asia, where there is still a booming trade in the material, particularly in China.
About 144.000 elephants were killed between 2007 and 2014. However, survivors may be born without tusks, like their Asian cousins.
This is revealed by a study conducted by Joyce Poole of Elephant Voices who has been monitoring developments in this species for more than 30 years. The scientist revealed to the Times that he noted a direct correlation between the intensity of poaching and the percentage of females born without tusks in some of the herds observed.
At Gorongosa National Park in Mozambique, 90 percent of elephants were killed between 1977 and 1992, during the country's civil war. Poole said poachers have targeted the animals' fangs, so nearly half of females over 35 do not have them, and although poaching is now under control and the population is recovering well, they are "passing the gene" to their daughters. According to him, 30 percent of female elephants born after the end of the civil war do not have the characteristic tusks.
The most striking example is that of the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa, where 98 percent of female elephants have no tusks.
Good news from China
Finally, China, the largest ivory importer in the world, announced at the end of 2016 that it would ban it. The Asian giant is gradually fighting the transformation and sale of ivory for commercial purposes and will put an end to all this by 2017.
And from Europe?
Europe is the largest exporter of ivory. Unfortunately, it also happens that the "legal" market provides cover for the illegal sale and continuing slaughter of elephants. The reason that prompted China was to close the market.
“The debate in Europe is ongoing. If we do not make ourselves heard immediately en masse, we risk that those who make the life of elephants an unscrupulous trade in the life of elephants have won ", we read in Aavaz where a petition to close the ivory market:
"To the European Commissioner for the Environment Karmenu Vella, and to all European governments: We citizens from all over Europe and the world ask you to close the domestic market and all ivory exportso, and to support efforts for a global tender. Europe is leading the global fight against poaching, but these efforts are being thwarted by its own legal ivory trade. With China announcing its own ban, Europe now has a duty to do everything possible to avoid the extinction of elephants. "
To sign the petition click here
READ also:
- ELEPHANTS, RHINOS AND TIGERS: IN RISK OF EXTINCTION DUE TO ILLEGAL TRADE
- MASSACRE OF ELEPHANTS IN AFRICA: IVORY SOLD FOR BULLETS
Francesca Mancuso
