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This video follows scientists working in Gorongosa National Park as they try to determine the genes responsible for tusk development in elephants.

Normally, more than 90% of female African elephants have tusks. But in Gorongosa National Park, which has a history of heavy poaching, about 50% of the elephants are tuskless. To study this striking phenomenon, scientists are looking for the gene or genes involved in tusk development and how variations in these genes can lead to tusklessness. 

In this video, biologists Shane Campbell-Staton and Dominique Gonçalves walk through the steps of collecting DNA samples from elephants in Gorongosa and identifying a gene on the X chromosome that is likely involved in tusklessness. 

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Topics:

Natural Selection

Genomics

Patterns of Inheritance

Grade Levels:

College

High School — AP/IB