Tuskless Elephant

• by puddock

  @Anland found this video of an adult elephant without tusks - do any of our experts know why this might be? The elephant looks pretty big, and otherwise in good health.

  Posted August 27, 2017 5:37 PM

• by lauraklynn moderator

  I'm not an elephant person, but our zoo has a tuskless male. There are some elephants that naturally do not develop tusks. There is evidence the trait is increasing within the population due to selective pressure for tuskless individuals as poachers remove breeding elephants with tusks: More info here

  Posted August 27, 2017 11:54 PM

• by Snorticus

  That looks quite odd 😕

  Posted August 28, 2017 5:19 PM

• by NuriaM scientist, moderator in response to lauraklynn's comment.

  exactly @lauraklyn 😃

  Posted August 29, 2017 7:08 AM

• by puddock

  That is very interesting - evolution in action? Thanks guys

  Posted August 29, 2017 9:04 AM

• by Eve00675

  Hoping this may help elephants to continue to exist through this evolution.

  Posted October 26, 2017 12:26 AM

• by AnLand moderator

  Here ACP000djsr is another elephant without tusks. Don't know how to determine whether that is the same or not.

  Posted November 8, 2017 5:10 PM

• by AnLand moderator

  ACP000czba - this one also seems to miss tusks. But hard to see.

  Posted November 8, 2017 6:10 PM