How Not Growing Tusks Saved Elephants' Lives | Back from the Brink

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  • Опубликовано: 24 мар 2022
  • Check out our 'Back from the Brink' series for more incredible wildlife conservation stories: • Back from the Brink
    During Mozambique‘s fifteen years of civil war, the elephant population of Gorongosa National Park was decimated by 90%. Demand for their precious ivory skyrocketed in order to finance the conflict.
    However, a rare natural trait seems to have saved a small number: tusklessness. Female elephants stopped developing them. With a surprising consequence: 51% of the surviving female elephants in Gorongosa had no more tusks after the civil war, escaping the poacher’s target.
    Put simply, it prevented them from being killed. Yet, this evolutionary development could come at a high cost: Whole ecosystems across Africa could be changed if the tuskless trend continues.
    🐘 Gorongosa National Park (GNP) Elephant Ecology Project: gorongosa.org/elephant-ecolog...
    Interested in more elephant stories?
    📺 Check out "Why Elephants Go Deep Underground": • We Went Inside an Elep...
    🔔 Subscribe for loads more stories: / terramatero. .
    Thanks for watching, and see you next time!
    #terramatters #tuskless #elephant
    🔗 Footage Sources:
    Used with permission from Howard Hughes Medical Institute.
    Used with permission from Gorongosa Media.
    🔗 Scientific sources
    00:16
    Ivory hunting drives evolution of tuskless elephants, nature
    www.nature.com/articles/d4158...
    Ivory poaching and the rapid evolution of tusklessness in African elephants, ResearchGate
    www.researchgate.net/publicat...
    00:57
    Ivory hunting drives evolution of tuskless elephants, nature
    www.nature.com/articles/d4158...
    Elephant Ecology Project | Gorongosa National Park
    gorongosa.org/elephant-ecolog...
    Ivory poaching and the rapid evolution of tusklessness in African elephants, ResearchGate
    www.researchgate.net/publicat...
    01:27
    Campbell-Staton Group
    www.campbellstaton.com/elephants
    Under poaching pressure, elephants are evolving to lose their, National Geographic
    tuskswww.nationalgeographic.com/an...
    Ivory poaching and the rapid evolution of tusklessness in African elephants, ResearchGate
    www.researchgate.net/publicat...
    02:21
    Save the elephants
    www.savetheelephants.org/abou...
    02:38
    The International Ban on Ivory Sales and its Effects on Elephant Poaching in Africa, British Journal of Criminology
    academic.oup.com/bjc/article/...
    www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/140818-elephants-africa-poaching-cites-census
    03:05
    The International Ban on Ivory Sales and its Effects on Elephant Poaching in Africa, British Journal of Criminology
    academic.oup.com/bjc/article/...
    www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/140818-elephants-africa-poaching-cites-census
    03:14
    Elephant Ecology Project | Gorongosa National Park
    gorongosa.org/elephant-ecolog...

Комментарии • 942

  • @kade-qt1zu
    @kade-qt1zu 2 года назад +2554

    It truly is sad how these animals have to lose their tusks just so they don't get mercilessly killed.

    • @VinnyUnion
      @VinnyUnion 2 года назад +2

      In return humans should lose on of their senses as a proper punishment. Perhaps evolution might do a thing or two far into the future

    • @reportedstolen3603
      @reportedstolen3603 2 года назад

      Evolutionary pressure is real af..wanna survive? DNA finds a way.

    • @gone9820
      @gone9820 2 года назад +127

      @@VinnyUnion a person who kills endangered animals does not have any sense to begin with

    • @VinnyUnion
      @VinnyUnion 2 года назад

      @@gone9820 that's not a person anymore but an worthless animal part of a overpopulated species.

    • @alvexok5523
      @alvexok5523 2 года назад

      @@gone9820 really. Why do elephants have to be killed for their tusks? Why can't they just shoot tranquilizers at them and saw their tusks off them while they're knocked out? That way, an elephant can then wake up and remain alive while ivory dealers can still sell ivory

  • @earthling_parth
    @earthling_parth 2 года назад +1847

    The looks of elephants are the last worry for anyone. Elephants losing their tusks can have serious implications as females not being able to defend their young and themselves when facing predators and changing their diet which will have serious implications on all plat and animal life around them. This is definitely worrying.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +63

      Nature was trying to safe the ones remaining now - but this is definitely not the end to this story 🐘

    • @hariengradford2699
      @hariengradford2699 2 года назад +128

      They'll have a hard time breaking trees and digging for water

    • @hariengradford2699
      @hariengradford2699 2 года назад +38

      Don't worry they still have the safety of the herd in Asian elephants Are able to protect their young without tusks

    • @julianswinton5355
      @julianswinton5355 2 года назад +58

      @@hariengradford2699 Their size alone is enough to defend themselve

    • @prcervi
      @prcervi 2 года назад +38

      tusked elephants are on the rebound, and it's still an adult elephant, predators still have the bulk of an elephant to pick a fight with

  • @thedarkwolf9423
    @thedarkwolf9423 2 года назад +1304

    One of the most regrettable aspects is that poachers will also kill tuskless elephants as well. In a few countries, rhinos were tranqued, and had their horns removed in order to protect them from poachers. It turned out the strategy didn't work as well as hoped. After tracking down their quarry, many poachers would machine gun the rhinos anyway so they did not waste time in the future following "worthless animals". What needs to be done is to target the corrupt nations that turn a blind eye to illegal wildlife trade: China, Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, etc. and end the demand at the source.

    • @sealevel5961
      @sealevel5961 2 года назад +3

      By doing what? Target them how?

    • @PCB389
      @PCB389 2 года назад

      Corrupted nations. Do you know how little that narrows it? That etc is containing the rest 246 countries....

    • @dv9239
      @dv9239 2 года назад

      And guess what it is Americans who are buying this stuff and the government wants you to blame Asians

    • @lynch8067
      @lynch8067 2 года назад

      In vietnam, they are still believes rhinos horn can cure sickness and all kind of stuffs which drives the demand. Currently the Chinese infiltrate the market with some fake rhinos made by cows horn or some sht and it worked out.

    • @Jake-zk3eb
      @Jake-zk3eb 2 года назад +147

      Poachers really aren't smart enough to think long term.

  • @Ass_of_Amalek
    @Ass_of_Amalek 2 года назад +838

    the tusks of the other elephants in this video are also absolutely tiny due to selective hunting for large tusks. african elephants used to commonly have tusks hanging pretty much to the ground with lengths of well over two meters, but humans have been trying to kill the ones with the biggest tusks for hundreds of years, and have had a lot of success with rifles in the past ~200 years.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +46

      It really is significant to see what poaching has done to them 🐘

    • @KhanMann66
      @KhanMann66 2 года назад +59

      It so weird to see elephants with tinnie tiny tusks compared to several decades ago. Real sad indeed.

    • @highlyvurgultis3706
      @highlyvurgultis3706 2 года назад +41

      This is also the reason that Elephants from the fossil record (like Mammoths and Palaeoloxodon) seem to have much bigger tusks than any living Elephants.
      Modern Elephants should probably across the board look more like the exceptional few big tuskers still alive

    • @crowmaster9652
      @crowmaster9652 2 года назад

      seems like the humans that think they are protecting elephant lives are hindering their nature.
      Go after the poachers you lazy bums

    • @matthewzito6130
      @matthewzito6130 2 года назад +2

      I'm sure genetics play a part, but so do age and gender. Many of the elephants in this video are young and/or female. Mature males have larger tusks, but of course big males are rare in places where poaching is common, since mature males are the first elephants targeted by poachers.

  • @garymcguire8529
    @garymcguire8529 2 года назад +576

    Tusks are not aesthetic objects, which is why you have left hand and right handed elephants. The elephant painter David Shepherd, pointed this out in his paintings, that they are tools for survival. They ding holes in dry river beds to access water with their trunks, which in turn allows other animals to drink.
    They strip bark for trees to eat and break branches, and again leave bits behind for other animals to eat.
    I hope Mozambique imports some cow elephants from South Africa to improve the gene pool.
    An African Elephant without tusks, is like a rhino without a horn.

    • @nombretaken9467
      @nombretaken9467 2 года назад +7

      elephants are pretty smart the elephants probably found a way to do those things without tusks. If anything introducing elephants with tusks would put them more in danger then actually helping them survive and as you said they aren’t aesthetic shouldn’t matter if they have tusks or if they dont 😭

    • @peterstoric6560
      @peterstoric6560 2 года назад +30

      While they may have a temporary set back on an evolutionary scale, considering their intelligence and positive human intervention they should able to cope relatively well

    • @danielsteger8456
      @danielsteger8456 2 года назад +17

      @@nombretaken9467 they aren't aesthetic means it WILL MATTER if they have tusks or not

    • @nombretaken9467
      @nombretaken9467 2 года назад

      @@danielsteger8456 oops well if they needed them evolution would pressure them to have them but obviously they aren’t helping with survival if having no tusks is becoming more dominant/normal

    • @f0x607
      @f0x607 2 года назад

      @@nombretaken9467 did you even watch the video???
      they don’t have tusks because all the ones with tusks are being killed by humans.
      the tusks aren’t being passed down because of poachers, not because of a biological advantage that comes with not having one
      and even if they can survive, if they start eating different plants, that’ll cause them to steal food sources from other animals, animals that aren’t used to completing for food, those animals will start starving and lower their population levels, which will effect the population of the predators that hunt them, it’ll disrupt the whole ecosystem and food chain.
      the elephants need their trunks, they evolved them for a reason, they’re only loosing them because of human greed

  • @simonnachreiner8380
    @simonnachreiner8380 2 года назад +1449

    Amazing how fast this has happened. On an evolutionary scale this was the blink of an eye but I suppose near extinction would cause significant evolutionary pressure. I wonder how long before other natural defenses evolve and if there are other endangered species that have experienced such a change from human caused pressures.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +46

      It really happened fast - it is indeed amazing to see how nature adapts if it's necessary 🐘

    • @stoyantodorov2133
      @stoyantodorov2133 2 года назад +71

      Exactly my thoughts. Although it's not as much the elephants adapting and more so the tusked ones being culled. The tuskless mutation has existed since forever. This of course gives the tuskless populations free reign on the territories previosly occupied by tusked ones and thus the mutation becomes the norm.

    • @Iamdinodude
      @Iamdinodude 2 года назад

      Elephants having short or no tusks is not a natural evolutionary adaptation. It's essentially selective breeding done by humans as poachers target tusked animals and so the genes for tusked elephants disappears. It's no different to creating dog breeds or royal python morphs. A similar situation is happening to alligators in florida where the largest animals are being removed leaving only smaller gater genes. This creates essentially a dwarfing population. This is happening all around the world. Its humans messing with wildlife and the animals are not intentionally doing it and tbh its detrimental to the animals

    • @ultraapple3997
      @ultraapple3997 2 года назад

      It's a "removal" of a gene. So it's a big important simple change.

    • @presidenttogekiss635
      @presidenttogekiss635 2 года назад +16

      To be fair, I think it's "easy" change. As in, their just loosing teeth, which is something we are also experiencing with our wisdom teeth.

  • @snehal50samarpit
    @snehal50samarpit 2 года назад +418

    People need to avoid ivory items . No demand ,no supply, no life loss.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +51

      It is crucial that ivory poaching stops 🐘

    • @kitkat5596
      @kitkat5596 2 года назад +39

      Try telling that to China.

    • @Rodiacreed
      @Rodiacreed 2 года назад +64

      @@kitkat5596 China actually cares deeply for elephants. Asian elephants are endangered so when a herd of them left their forrests and started going around human towns the government actually protected them and warned against anyone harming them and kept a camera crew on them at all times.

    • @SlapstickGenius23
      @SlapstickGenius23 2 года назад +8

      Is Saudi Arabian society listening?

    • @kimmson6356
      @kimmson6356 2 года назад +6

      @@SlapstickGenius23 Can you try knowing something about Saudia Arabia, instead?

  • @kevinquinonez838
    @kevinquinonez838 2 года назад +230

    If poaching have never happened elephants of today would actually have huge tusks just like mammoths

    • @romeobelisario3190
      @romeobelisario3190 2 года назад +33

      They would probably stay about the same size, but you’d see them a lot more certainly.

    • @peterstoric6560
      @peterstoric6560 2 года назад +20

      While that is a possibility, it is not guaranteed. One of the reasons mammoths had such big risks is because they had to clear away several feet of snow while elephants only really need to dig up some land.

    • @ZentaBon
      @ZentaBon 2 года назад

      as permafrost melts people are taking the huge mammoth tusks uncovered from the ground to sell

    • @f0x607
      @f0x607 2 года назад +11

      pretty sure elephants actually used yo have bigger tusks, but all of the ones with huge tusks were poached, meaning they accidentally selectively bred the elephants to have smaller tusks

    • @pathoithingz4320
      @pathoithingz4320 2 года назад +1

      unlikely
      doesn't give them a advantage over the current ones

  • @splitdragon3004
    @splitdragon3004 2 года назад +306

    This is why I support the reserves that shoot poachers on sight. (Yes there are a few that shoot on sight. I don’t think all of them are legal but it’s not like anyone will find the body 💀)

    • @2MeterLP
      @2MeterLP 2 года назад +64

      Protect the lions and hyenas too by providing food.

    • @spicylemon7475
      @spicylemon7475 2 года назад +41

      Why don’t ALL reserves do this?

    • @2MeterLP
      @2MeterLP 2 года назад

      @@spicylemon7475 Because killing humans is usually illlegal?

    • @heya4405
      @heya4405 2 года назад +43

      These poachers shouldn’t be considered humans

    • @heya4405
      @heya4405 2 года назад

      Or even smart living beings, they’re pests that need to be eradicated

  • @dinomation
    @dinomation 2 года назад +421

    While I'm glad that there population is improving, It's kinda sad how they have to go tusk less to survive.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +8

      there is hope after all 🐘 That is true!

    • @MegaBond101
      @MegaBond101 2 года назад +8

      @@lenafromterramater3690 damn even in the emojis they have tusks 😩😭

    • @blackpowderkun
      @blackpowderkun 2 года назад +11

      Eventually they grow longer trunks and learn to aim and throw rocks to defend themselves.

    • @whoasked6696
      @whoasked6696 2 года назад

      @@blackpowderkun bruh..

    • @gomi_chow
      @gomi_chow 2 года назад +4

      it's not sad alone that they lost their tusks, that's just natural selection.
      The sad part is how truly needless the reason for this natural selection is, mostly due to trophy-hunting instead of essential survival.
      Edit: _not that it justifies poaching to begin with, but this truly benefits no one except one's ego/wallet._

  • @stoyantodorov2133
    @stoyantodorov2133 2 года назад +63

    It's fascinating to see how fast evolution can work. I imagine the biggest leaps were made not in small gradual steps, but in critical times like this when the majority of the population gets wiped out. Only the individuals with a rare mutation that allows them to exist survive. Hopefully in the future if there is less pressure from poaching they could gain their majestic tusks again.

    • @axelaguirre5014
      @axelaguirre5014 2 года назад +1

      Did you know that we humans had a similar moment a few hundred thosuand years ago?

    • @manmaje3596
      @manmaje3596 2 года назад

      @@axelaguirre5014 No the sheep are only interested in what makes them more self hating of their own species.

  • @stevebennett9839
    @stevebennett9839 2 года назад +458

    It's disgusting how selfish humans can be. Killing a mature elephant just for their tusks is so shameful. I hope those herds can come back even stronger than before and I also hope they stampede a poachers campsite in the middle of the night stepping on the poachers in the process, just kidding (not really). Thank you Terra Mater for another great video.

    • @alvexok5523
      @alvexok5523 2 года назад +11

      I just could never understand why elephants have had to be killed for their tusks. Why can't they just shoot tranquilizers at them and then saw off their tusks while they're knocked out. That way, the elephants can then wake up and their lives are spared while ivory dealers can still sell ivory

    • @stevebennett9839
      @stevebennett9839 2 года назад +35

      @@alvexok5523 poachers don't care plus I'm sure tranquilizer darts costs a lot more than bullets.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +5

      It really is hard to watch - but let's hope they'll soon make it to a larger number of individuals and roam the lands in thousands again 🐘🐘🐘

    • @phuckyoutube5927
      @phuckyoutube5927 2 года назад

      Asia mostly consider other races lesser go figure they don't care about animals

    • @billcipher8645
      @billcipher8645 2 года назад

      @@alvexok5523 they are imbedded to their skulls and serve as protection, I'm pretty sure no one cares about being delicate and precise when it's illegal anyways, killing it is faster and more efficient sadly

  • @willemvanoranje5724
    @willemvanoranje5724 2 года назад +95

    And then to mind that tusks are insanely important to the elephants, :( it would be like cutting off the thumbs from a human hand. Is it possible that if Elephants would be better protected everywhere would his trend be able to end, and reverse?

    • @curious5887
      @curious5887 2 года назад +12

      It would take multiple generations for this tuskless elephant to go down to two percent, so it could be reversed, it’s just need time

  • @secretformulathief910
    @secretformulathief910 2 года назад +38

    Elephants are just incredible, the story behind the species, and related relatives to them is amazing, I hope something changes and the species continues to grow

  • @terramater
    @terramater  2 года назад +506

    Check out our 'Back from the Brink' series for more incredible wildlife conservation stories: ruclips.net/p/PLZ3CjNbCdQe8V_y7HK_LzZL6lLv11cx_3

    • @alvexok5523
      @alvexok5523 2 года назад +4

      I never understood why elephants needed to be killed for their tusks. I understand that an elephant can get aggressive and attack if trying to get their tusks, so why couldn't they shoot a tranquilizer dart at them and saw their tusks off while they're knocked out rather than kill them? That way the elephant can then wake up and go about its life while ivory dealers can still sell ivory

    • @HGJHan1000
      @HGJHan1000 2 года назад

      @@alvexok5523 They probably wanted the highest possible value per elephant so they killed the elephant to get the 1 3rd embedded into their head

    • @ajcyrilldy
      @ajcyrilldy 2 года назад

      @@alvexok5523 killing's faster and cheaper

    • @Crow0567
      @Crow0567 2 года назад +10

      @@alvexok5523 tusks serve important roles in their lives. Elephants cant defend themselves as well without them. This is like saying "why not tranquilize deer bucks and saw the antlers off?"
      Luckily it's mostly the female elephants being affected by this. But elephant bulls would be totally screwed if theirs were sawed off. Those are TEETH, and weapons for display and defense.
      Edit: PLEASE watch the full video. The tuskless gene is fatal to males and leaves females with no way to defend themselves and their babies, and affects what foods they can eat.

    • @in4mal_baker270
      @in4mal_baker270 2 года назад +2

      @@Crow0567 Don't antlers grow back??

  • @gwendolynrobinson3900
    @gwendolynrobinson3900 2 года назад +21

    Being born in the early 2000s and growing up in the 2010s, I feel sad that I almost forgot elephants were supposed to have tusks. Thinking back to whenever I've drawn an elephant (has been more than once), I can maybe remember once or twice I've drawn tusks on them, not recently though. Damn.

  • @Captainval28
    @Captainval28 2 года назад +137

    I love what these people are doing so depressing what is happening yo nature fortunately around the world people are waking up and helping both protect and restore nature and it gives me hope that nature can continue along side us and I hope tge males evolve a way to survive tusklesness and find a new way to compete for mates and defend themselves like evolving stronger and tougher trunks to use it as a whip in defence that would be a amazing feet o evolution

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +5

      Fortunately there is a lot of conservation work going on around the globe - let's hope we can help all these species to recover because #terramatters 🌍

    • @Captainval28
      @Captainval28 2 года назад

      @@lenafromterramater3690 have you heard of the tartars valley nature reserve and how they obtained the land to make it one

    • @xtianity2023
      @xtianity2023 2 года назад

      waking up? Yeah I don't think so 😂😂😂 you see People are still killing Elephants even without the tusk, they pay thousands of dollars just to kill a single Elephant 😂😂😂 I don't see why Human lives have more worth than Animals (including insects) 😂😂😂 They just do shitty wars, eating fancy foods, wearing fancy clothes, making kids, buying garbage cars, motorcycles, and murdering their own kind. Humans helping the earth??? I don't think so, they just clean their own problems that affects innocently animals and other life forms, I'd rather die than seeing Humans around me 😂🙏

    • @xtianity2023
      @xtianity2023 2 года назад

      and what's so great about enhancing our technology when we don't even how to use it properly 😂😂😂 I'm just weakening my self so Id die fast 😂😂😂

    • @Captainval28
      @Captainval28 2 года назад +3

      @@xtianity2023 I don't get your meaning

  • @t-bagsalimbakari2942
    @t-bagsalimbakari2942 2 года назад +29

    I watched one rhino documentary based on South Africa and I was surprised to find out that most of the people who pretend to protect the rhinos (in this case elephant) are the one's deeply involved in the poaching business.
    Sadly most of them are just wolves wearing sheep skin😔

  • @Littlekoji-df1cf
    @Littlekoji-df1cf 2 года назад +27

    This really shows how connected we are to nature and how can we cause huge chainces.

  • @Outrageousfirevulture
    @Outrageousfirevulture 2 года назад +38

    I love how the elephants are adapting to survive against humans, but its a shame because I love the tusks on elephants, its one of their most iconic features on them. It makes the look mighty, majestic, and beautiful. But like I said, I'm glad that their adapting

    • @noakinn
      @noakinn 2 года назад +6

      i could care less about how iconic it is. its sadder that a key part of their survival against their natural predators and a built in forklift

  • @pld9350
    @pld9350 2 года назад +95

    Its a good information for the teaching of evolution and natural selection in school for kids and teens, as its a visible feature, of a huge animal, with a great lifespan and that its happening now.

    • @reportedstolen3603
      @reportedstolen3603 2 года назад +11

      Yea I hope teachers implement this into curriculum. Clear example of evolutionary pressure

    • @sandracanotas6094
      @sandracanotas6094 2 года назад

      You are right about being a good opportunity to teach students about evolution..? I'd say adaptation to very harsh comditions not to be completely extict, by UNnatural selection by human greediness 😳

    • @sandracanotas6094
      @sandracanotas6094 2 года назад

      Word corrections
      *conditions
      *extinct

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +1

      It really happened fast when looking at the overall evolution - it is very visible to see what nature did here 🐘

    • @kingofflames738
      @kingofflames738 2 года назад +7

      @@sandracanotas6094 Can you call what humans do unnatural though? We're not some eldritch beings that violate the laws of physics with magic and curses. We're primates that use the tools we make. Some monkeys and otters are doing the same thing and birds construct buildings (nests). It's technically still natural selection. It's just that it's us doing it and not another animal.

  • @xRoseByAnotherNamex
    @xRoseByAnotherNamex 2 года назад +51

    I would rather call it Artificial Selection. Calling extreme pressures from human economic activity "natural" hardly seems fair, especially since those tusks can play a huge role in an elephant's abilities/behaviors.

    • @garrettlich7140
      @garrettlich7140 2 года назад +6

      We’re natural we just happened to be a parasite to the biosphere

    • @xRoseByAnotherNamex
      @xRoseByAnotherNamex 2 года назад +4

      @@garrettlich7140 I understand that it's *technically* natural, since we are organisms ourselves. However, many others we share this planet with have an outrageous disadvantage due to our increased intelligence.
      Then, while we don't need to kill elephants for their tusks, we do, for how exotic their ivory happens to be. Like, yes, there are other animals who kill or steal from others for structural or decorative means, but we take it to another level.
      With this, I think the drastic consequences of our influence warrants another term. And heck, maybe it could be applied to organisms whose actions led to dramatic evolution, and depleted populations in general.
      For example, the microorganisms who first decided to convert CO2 into oxygen, killing off many extremophiles that once dominated the planet, pressuring them into isolated environments with less oxygen.

    • @xRoseByAnotherNamex
      @xRoseByAnotherNamex 2 года назад +1

      Basically, a spontaneous pressure created by changes in "appetite," when other options are available.

    • @alexsiemers7898
      @alexsiemers7898 2 года назад +3

      It’s “natural” in the sense that we didn’t directly genetically engineer elephants without tusks

    • @kittydollsxo189
      @kittydollsxo189 2 года назад +2

      It’s natural because it naturally happened! Like it just so happen that elephant are appearing more and more tuskless without humans meddling to make them that way. Hint natural selection , those who live can spread the gene trait that helps them survive From the predator which in this case “human poachers.”

  • @Tamo8
    @Tamo8 2 года назад +42

    Elephants are my favourite animals, it really so sad to see this.. Here in Asia, the males are hunted for their tusks leading to a gender imbalance..

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +8

      It really is horrible that poaching led to so much trouble and huge decreases in animal population - all for money 🐘

    • @SlapstickGenius23
      @SlapstickGenius23 2 года назад

      What about regulated hunting?

  • @atomknight8361
    @atomknight8361 2 года назад +5

    Their tusks are extremely important in fighting off predators, digging in the ground and protecting their young. At best they have only delayed their extinction since poachers are their biggest threat

  • @richardgaspar4590
    @richardgaspar4590 2 года назад +19

    I always thought about africa as the paradise itself, hopefully our kind learns to respect nature and be part of it instead of destroying what is left.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +9

      Sadly Africa has been a troubled continent when it comes to wildlife. Poaching for example led to a shocking decrease of animal population throughout many species - there is more to see about that on our channel if you want to check it out! Even stories with a happy end 🌞

    • @richardgaspar4590
      @richardgaspar4590 2 года назад +5

      @@lenafromterramater3690 This is a fantastic channel, i sure will.

  • @alejandroelluxray5298
    @alejandroelluxray5298 2 года назад +10

    I just hope that protected Elephants can recover their Tusk percentage, they need them to survive too

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +1

      That is true! Let's hope these amazing scientists can help the population grow again 🐘🐘

    • @KhanMann66
      @KhanMann66 2 года назад

      Let’s hope zoos breed more elephants with tusks. And then release them back into the wild to repopulate the species with tusk.

    • @billcipher8645
      @billcipher8645 2 года назад

      @@KhanMann66 animals born in zoos usually can't be released into the wild, they can't survive on their own because of human intervention

  • @eliletts8149
    @eliletts8149 2 года назад +4

    I remember this phenomenon being mentioned when I was a kid over a decade ago. I am glad that more information is being shared about this phenomenon now!

  • @Cris-qn2ii
    @Cris-qn2ii 2 года назад +13

    Threatening an entire specie into near extinction for pointless decorations :(

  • @elmono6299
    @elmono6299 2 года назад +13

    Even without the tusk, an elephant can still kick a greedy human's (without any firearms) ass by breaking his back with its trunk or squishing him like a roach. 🐘

    • @Jayzgrouse
      @Jayzgrouse 2 года назад +3

      It'd have to be with no weapons, our ancestors used to kill them with spears

  • @hera7884
    @hera7884 2 года назад +9

    Life finds a way, it’s just sad they had to lose their beautiful tusks in order to do so.

  • @CaptainUnikitty
    @CaptainUnikitty 2 года назад +7

    Sometimes I wish I can be something else than human
    But I just hope we can save our elephants 🐘

    • @cycrothelargeplanet
      @cycrothelargeplanet Год назад

      If you weren't human you're gonna most likely die because we really love killing animals

  • @jaredhill8721
    @jaredhill8721 2 года назад +15

    In the worst case scenario, even if the ivory trade booms again, maybe enough tuskless elephants may survive to sustain the population of these majestic and intelligent creatures.

  • @AtomicEy
    @AtomicEy 2 года назад +6

    *Humans are the smartest animals on Earth*
    yet a handful of us go crazy for ivory tusk,shark fins and Pangolin scales

  • @ravenwithcall8527
    @ravenwithcall8527 2 года назад +5

    Because of us killing elephants for their tusk we have now made a butterfly effect which might end up becoming a domino effect to the ecosystem due to the elephant’s tusklessness.

  • @juscrow536
    @juscrow536 2 года назад +7

    Crazy how elephants have to lose their tusks just to survive human poaching, despite how important they are to the species. Money can really make people do cruel things, truly depressing for these amazing animals.

  • @willdaisey7406
    @willdaisey7406 2 года назад +1

    Elephants are beautiful, intelligent animals.

  • @r.a.t6436
    @r.a.t6436 2 года назад +3

    Hopefully these beauties end up evolving to find a new way to make their old qualities come back to life ❤

  • @tajammulsiddiq9880
    @tajammulsiddiq9880 2 года назад +4

    Thanks for sharing this video. Much needed for all to know how Wars/Conflicts shaped behavior and genes of Wild life.
    Root causes are Conflicts and Wars. There are still many places in the World which are badly affected by Conflicts/Wars .
    If Conflicts/War are not financed by Establishments then we can make this world a better place for Wild life and for Humans by doing awareness and Conservation efforts.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +1

      We are happy to hear that you could take away a lot of learnings from our video 🐘

    • @tajammulsiddiq9880
      @tajammulsiddiq9880 2 года назад

      @@lenafromterramater3690 Thanks for your response annd for sharing knowledge with the general public. These type of videos are very helpful for people so they could understand the Value of Wild Life on Planet Earth.

  • @dianagentile7636
    @dianagentile7636 2 года назад +2

    Thank You 🙏🏽 4 Sharing!
    Every Action Has A Reaction‼️‼️‼️
    PLEASE DONT HARM THE ELEPHANTS‼️‼️
    They have RIGHTS 2‼️
    🙏🏽🙏🏼🙏🏽❤️❤️❤️‼️‼️‼️

  • @mj9949
    @mj9949 2 года назад

    Thank you for this video

  • @lunerwerewolf
    @lunerwerewolf 2 года назад +11

    I don't mind ivory in the context of a byproduct of hunting for food or killing an animal in self defense or defense of a loved one as all parts of the animal should be used. But this is senseless, sad and disturbing

  • @Jebeber886
    @Jebeber886 2 года назад +3

    Poacher and Collector: "You no grow tusk? Fine, I want your bones!"

  • @jvp714
    @jvp714 2 года назад +5

    It seems like it's a recessive trait that will go back down as the numbers rise.

  • @CleoPhoenixRT
    @CleoPhoenixRT 2 года назад +5

    Elephants are such intelligent creatures. Even they mourn loss. I swear we're like pests to this planet. Slowly destroying everything.

    • @Keeby.
      @Keeby. 2 года назад +1

      humans on earth very closely mimick as virus in a body

  • @piglin469
    @piglin469 2 года назад +4

    EVOLUTION is beautiful isn't it

  • @cferracini
    @cferracini 2 года назад +3

    It used to be 13%, after the war it was 51% and now it's 33%. It seems to be going back to 13% little by little. Yes, it's concerning that it went so much higher due to poaching, but it seems to be slowly going back to what used to be thanks to the preservation efforts. I see hope.

  • @OnibiTeru
    @OnibiTeru 2 года назад

    Sad yet remarkable how nature sees something and decides '' nope, no more for you'' - amazing how animals can have such a change so quick, yet sad under what kind of circumstances this had to occur by.

  • @eotwkdp
    @eotwkdp 2 года назад +1

    Thank you evolution and random genetics

  • @hieithefox
    @hieithefox 2 года назад +3

    I really hope we can put an end to poaching and other practices and allow nature the ability to heal

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад

      That is the goal indeed - poaching is something that needs to be eliminated among all animal species 🐘

  • @TC-bh3bi
    @TC-bh3bi 2 года назад +5

    Thank you for such educational videos! Humans can be so destructive when trying to make money from other creatures.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад

      We are very happy to be able to share these kind of things with our wonderful helping and caring community - with the help of all of you we can raise awareness because #terramatters 🌍🌱

  • @lordparoose48
    @lordparoose48 2 года назад

    Can’t believe humans can have such an affect
    On everything. Those poor babies

  • @fly89
    @fly89 2 года назад

    evolution is amazing.

  • @Iwidelyoutliveeverything
    @Iwidelyoutliveeverything 2 года назад +4

    Make ivory hunting a kill-on-sight offense

    • @melissagrant1649
      @melissagrant1649 2 года назад +2

      Poachers will simply get better at not being seen. Kinda like the housecat wearing a bell is the most dangerous to small wildlife because they make themselves extra stealthy to compensate for the potential noise of the bell.

  • @Hydroux4915
    @Hydroux4915 2 года назад +5

    Elephants are my favorite animals and while I’m happy they have a chance at repopulating it saddens me that they have to lose an essential part of themselves humans should just stop interfering with nature

  • @chadgorosaurus4898
    @chadgorosaurus4898 2 года назад +2

    Proof elephants never forget:

  • @yamz3713
    @yamz3713 2 года назад

    Very interesting

  • @someguy7723
    @someguy7723 2 года назад +3

    thx East Asia...

  • @casualsleepingdragon8501
    @casualsleepingdragon8501 2 года назад +2

    God be like "y'all couldn't behave, so now no one gets tusks."

  • @mariellasoede5599
    @mariellasoede5599 2 года назад

    Wow great interesting video

  • @kuitaranheatmorus9932
    @kuitaranheatmorus9932 2 года назад +1

    Epic TM video

  • @Kiyoone
    @Kiyoone 2 года назад +8

    Sad that this channel has so few views. 🥺

    • @kade-qt1zu
      @kade-qt1zu 2 года назад +3

      This video has only been around for 10 minutes.

    • @kingLorshi
      @kingLorshi 2 года назад +3

      @@kade-qt1zu channel, not video, but yeah.

    • @kade-qt1zu
      @kade-qt1zu 2 года назад +1

      @@kingLorshi My bad. But in that case this channel has a total view count of 44 million.

    • @kingLorshi
      @kingLorshi 2 года назад +1

      @@kade-qt1zu also fair. Sometimes people will oversee just how big or a small a channel is by a video.

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад +2

      You are more than welcome to share our videos and raise awareness for our channel - we would really love that and it can make a huge change for us to be able to spread the word to even more people 😊 because #terramatters 🌍🌱

  • @corvespid4925
    @corvespid4925 2 года назад +3

    I never considered ivory that grand to begin with, but the message is still simple for those who like it: If you can't responsibly buy it (currently impossible) or find an alternative, you get no ivory in the future. Simple. Same principles apply with fish populations, corals, plants and so forth.
    I have certain things I like, but if I knew buying them were to threaten the existence of these in the future, I can't say I'd be stupid or uncaring enough to keep engaging in said action.

  • @zangadaa
    @zangadaa 2 года назад

    Unnatural selection.

  • @cusi9854
    @cusi9854 2 года назад

    Its interesting to see how animals continue to adapt themselfs by natural selectione even nowadays

  • @antoniopacelli
    @antoniopacelli 2 года назад +3

    When things really go bad usually Nature oriented people start feeling the pressure for the Survival of Elephants..
    Most probably because they are the Biggest Brains among Mammals...
    I instead, when all go bad, still wondering the same thing:
    What Elephants Dream when They Dreams?
    They Dream Collectively passing Bass Ultrasound waves of what they're Dreaming with Theirs Trunks?
    Do they Experience the fear of Falling?
    Can they Dream about others animals..?
    Can they Dream of US?
    Do we look friendly in their Dreams or as Arrogant Monsters?
    Do they use us as theirs Boogyeman?
    Do Elephants have nightmares?
    How much scare can possibly be the deepest scariest Thoughts of the biggest Brain walking on Earth??
    But Most of all:
    What is the scariest thing ever thought...?
    ...and what if all of the Bad things ever happened into out reality are just the Nightmares of The Most Powerful Entity of the Universe..?
    All that it cannot afford to make it pass through its Awaken Reality..
    All of Its nightmares as represented by the Evils of this world..
    What if we can manage to Stop those Evils and put an End to those nightmares..?!
    What if we could Live in The Perfect Universe as it already Is, as We were ment to, Deprived by all of the Sufferings and Pains of This Adverse Existence just by Reversing the Errors and Fighting the Evils by all means against all of the Odds..
    What if Anything at that point could be made possible, because the only things stopping us to accomplish Everything were those Fears, those Nightmarish Realities that Submerged our everyday lives into Oblivion..
    ...and what if in the End of all, maybe the Confines of our small conceivable Infinity of limited possibilities, opened to a more Vast Eternal Existence.. what if After the End we could Realise that those Fears and Nightmares that Killed our Future and Submerged Us In Pain were all just our own Shared Nightmares..
    @n Infinite Amount of Universal Adversities that after all Never Came From Above, Nor Beyond..
    But From Within our Self-Incompleteness..
    What if.. my beloved Ones..
    What If..

    • @jrsygrl72
      @jrsygrl72 2 года назад +1

      _"...and what if all of the Bad things ever happened [in our] reality_
      _are just the Nightmares of The Most Powerful Entity of the Universe"_
      Whoa. Wow. Food for thought. 🤔🧠💡

    • @antoniopacelli
      @antoniopacelli 2 года назад +1

      @@jrsygrl72 And Grammar Teachers.. = P

    • @jrsygrl72
      @jrsygrl72 2 года назад

      @@antoniopacelli 😁

  • @panickysociety97
    @panickysociety97 2 года назад +4

    can someone seriously explain to me why people want ivory so bad.? what's it's purpose in the human world.?

    • @Zack-fu4lo
      @Zack-fu4lo 2 года назад +4

      Quack Traditional medicine and decorations/furniture. And now, elephant tusks are rare, due to over poaching and it being illegal. With lessons learnt from the prohibition in the US, the value of ivory shot up

    • @MsLilly200
      @MsLilly200 2 года назад +2

      Rich people pay big money for things other people can't get.
      The harder is is to get ahold of, the rarer it is, the more rich people will pay just to say they have it.

  • @amyavraam8986
    @amyavraam8986 Год назад +1

    This kind of information is extremely interesting but also so terribly sad we really are a plague on the planet as a species

    • @terramater
      @terramater  Год назад +1

      Hi Amy!
      We're glad you could learn something from us, but we understand that's sad :(

  • @titanosaurdy9493
    @titanosaurdy9493 2 года назад

    This is genuine proof thst no one can stop human necessity unless brutal and horrific acts are made

    • @X_Otman
      @X_Otman 2 года назад

      New World Order!!! You mean, kill like 400M people, Just so the Rich and people who follow you stay alive.

  • @DollSchmidt4429
    @DollSchmidt4429 2 года назад +3

    I think (I know some people don't believe in God but I'm still going to say it) God wants to keep his creations safe from the evil doers who only see them as money makers so God decided to create the tuskless ones to keep them safe

  • @Oliphant828
    @Oliphant828 2 года назад +13

    There was nothing "natural" about that selection..

    • @SlapstickGenius23
      @SlapstickGenius23 2 года назад +1

      More like something adaptational maybe?

    • @munehboi
      @munehboi 2 года назад

      Yeah but these are "RUclips channels" so I'm not surprised.

  • @gem9535
    @gem9535 2 года назад +1

    Hunters: I want your tusks!
    Elephants: lmao, about that.

  • @jenniturtleburger3708
    @jenniturtleburger3708 Год назад

    Evolution in action.

  • @e.t.2914
    @e.t.2914 2 года назад +3

    Why do all these SAVE THE POOR ANIMALS videos always blame humanity as a whole when this whole conflict is driven by a few rich assholes wanting ivory? You're telling me we can't grow that shit in a lab? Really? They are just fancy teeth. Why not allow people to farm these animals? If it really is so expensive to just buy poached ivory, you can't tell me it cost much more to run a farm. Then, wild ones can be left alone due to increased product supply.

    • @jetezekieljayme9202
      @jetezekieljayme9202 2 года назад

      elephants take 14-17 years before reaching sexual maturity.A pregnant female takes 2 years before it gives birth. And will only conceive again every 3-9 years.

    • @e.t.2914
      @e.t.2914 2 года назад

      @@jetezekieljayme9202 Fruit trees take 15 to 20 years to bear fruit and some species only the female plant bears fruit and yet somehow orchards make money. You can't tell me people that can afford a 2000 dollar a gram animal product and not be able to invest in some sort of genetic engineering program for these animals.

    • @jetezekieljayme9202
      @jetezekieljayme9202 2 года назад

      @@e.t.2914 Animals require more land and space than trees. And the trees don't die when you harvest their fruit, and can live longer and produce more resources than elephants.

    • @e.t.2914
      @e.t.2914 2 года назад

      @@jetezekieljayme9202 Again, people pay 2000$ a kilo for the stuff. Tusks are just teeth, you can't tell me you can't sell elephant meat, hide, bones, collagen, viscera like an other ranched animal. Sure it may take longer than cows, but it takes 20 years anyway for an orchard to bear fruit, and they are still profitable. Not to mention many zoos keep multiple elephants on only about 0.5 acres anyway. It'd be plenty easier than people pretend it to be. People just don't want them to be ranched because "they're cute".

  • @charliee7465
    @charliee7465 2 года назад +1

    i love eleophants

    • @lenafromterramater3690
      @lenafromterramater3690 2 года назад

      We love them too 😍 - we have some other videos on our channel if you want to check them out 🐘

  • @Emoconsan
    @Emoconsan 2 года назад +1

    Thank god the elephants are not extinct !!!!!!🙏😓

  • @doburu4835
    @doburu4835 Год назад +2

    it's not evoution, it's God guiding the elephants

  • @a.a.6203
    @a.a.6203 2 года назад +1

    This is natural selection

  • @LeeFav.
    @LeeFav. 2 года назад +1

    Once a weapon for Safety.
    Now it's gone for safety

  • @statusburning4113
    @statusburning4113 2 года назад +1

    Poachers: I like global warming, our electric bill too high.
    Poachers: We get money when we destroy the world? Money.

  • @yinlu3610
    @yinlu3610 2 года назад +1

    Can we stop liking comments that say how they don’t get why elephants tusks are prized and FOCUS ain’t the fact that elephants NEED TUSKS because it’s a part of them! They use it to defend and protect themselves!

  • @user-ob4sq6fi3s
    @user-ob4sq6fi3s 2 года назад +2

    Could you be so kind as to tell us a few words regarding the genetic versitiliy within this particular elephant population;
    While the reasons you so thoughtfully described are very reasonable, I believe that inbreeding also has a role to play on this situation. Perhaps the elephants of Ngorogosa national park origin from a limited genetic line and as such, the tuskless gene is constantly reinforced.
    I've heard of a similar problem with the elephants of Addo national park in South Africa. They are currently 600 strong. But they started from only 13 survivors of major cullings. The implications of such heavy inbreeding were visible in the female elephants. 9 out of 10 were tuskless. As for the males, they had smaller tusks than usual.
    However, with the introduction of 8 new bull elephants from Kruger national park this characteristic started to slowly be cancelled out.

  • @GambinoTheGoat
    @GambinoTheGoat 2 года назад

    man education really does matter in times like these

  • @Luca-mv9vd
    @Luca-mv9vd 2 года назад

    It’s incredible how a one phrase simple answer can be strechted enough to become a 7 minutes video.

  • @colonizedgrain4034
    @colonizedgrain4034 5 месяцев назад +1

    People will feel bad for elephants while wearing a pearl necklace

  • @StarCatchrr
    @StarCatchrr 2 года назад +2

    this shows that humans care more about materialistic items than living creatures

    • @protomedia8325
      @protomedia8325 2 года назад

      Do you? Do you and your friends? Alot of people need to realise, it's not an average person's fault. It's not mines, it's not yours. Don't say humans, say hunters instead.
      No hate or anything btw

  • @grildrago
    @grildrago 2 года назад +2

    This is just heartbreaking knowing that human existence is the main treat to animal
    If only ivory price was so shit like literally shit, these could have been weakened

  • @raginginsanity3718
    @raginginsanity3718 2 года назад

    Mozambique here 🔻

  • @Draxilla
    @Draxilla 2 года назад +1

    I like how 100% of the people watching are going to worry about this and then forget in sometime ✌️

  • @BloodMarket
    @BloodMarket 2 года назад

    Thats... Really depressing and fascinating

  • @hydroxyl5130
    @hydroxyl5130 2 года назад +2

    An amazingly sad case study for selective pressures favoring otherwise recessive genes in exchange for a fitness advantage

  • @aakashtiwari7471
    @aakashtiwari7471 2 года назад

    One more reason to support Lamarck!

  • @scene6289
    @scene6289 2 года назад

    Animal adaptation at it's finest

  • @Theonetrueerenyeager
    @Theonetrueerenyeager Год назад +2

    African and Asian elephants used to have long tusks, similar to those of mammoths and mastodons, until humans began hunting them mercilessly, and elephants began to have smaller tusks or no tusks. Either way, it's not good news, and they'll be going extinct because of this.

  • @matthewzito6130
    @matthewzito6130 2 года назад +1

    Tuskless elephants are also reputed to be more aggressive than other elephants. There are a number of theories why that may be.

  • @orkweirdboy6776
    @orkweirdboy6776 2 года назад

    I LOVE DEM ALL

  • @stevelucky7579
    @stevelucky7579 2 года назад

    The tusklesness will likely push them to a different environment, like back into the woods where they used to be.
    But I’m just taking a guess without much info to go on here.

  • @aswinaravind566
    @aswinaravind566 2 года назад +2

    "Creation is an act of shear will , life will find a way " .... Jurassic domenion

    • @munehboi
      @munehboi 2 года назад +1

      That's Jurassic Park

  • @unzkipriime4283
    @unzkipriime4283 2 года назад

    eco systems are such wonderful concepts where somehow everything just works and maintains itself, really sad how humans can easily destroy this

  • @markhaus
    @markhaus 2 года назад

    It’s amazing (and horrible when you take in the full implications) how quickly evolution can respond when selection pressure is high. Elephants take a long time to find mates and give birth and yet we already signs of elephants losing their tusks to disincentivize their poaching

    • @spoon4956
      @spoon4956 2 года назад

      If there is only elephants that were born without tusks, they would pass on that gene to their offsprings. It doesn't take thousands of years because that defect is already a thing.

  • @ExtremeMadnessX
    @ExtremeMadnessX 2 года назад

    Life finds a way.