Saturday 8 March 2014

More calves? Long life? Which one is better?

The elephant is Thailand's national animals who have roles in the past, and live with Thailand's population for very long time. You will see that habitation of elephants are smart, intelligent, playful and kine. Especially, the relationship between mums and their calf is the most beautiful in Mammal. But from news reports, They told that elephants were reduce from many situation; such as captive elephant, were kill for proboscis and etc. What is the main problem? What is happening in population of elephants.

In "Teenage elephant mums die younger but are fitter", Ella Davies and Dr. Adam Hayward, who co-authored the study, briefly present and suggested that teenager elephants had more calves in their life times but the teenager elephants that gave birth  have a chance to died before 50 years. But in the end, the importance things isn't lifespan of elephants, but the number of population that will give birth in high fitness and this is seriously problem for the elephant to be in dangerous that the conservation have to protect number of elephant in the jungle.

 Dr. Adam Hayward concerned in this problem. So am I, I really feel bad after reading this article. When I travel through the jungle in the north and found wild elephants(might be dad, mums and their calf) standing in the middle of the street with cars passing very quickly without warning. It always makes me feel pity and wonder about the care of these animals. From the article, The problem of capturing elephants, teenager mum gave birth before the age of 19 years are impact of human that is forest encroachment and change the lives of wild elephants. Good things is  the new generation of elephant has adapted to the reproductive conditions faster. Although the consequences may make mums and calf elephants died before lifespan.

Effects of occur, they can be viewed from many ways(both good and bad) but not as important as changes that impact to make new legacy in "high fitness"- give a lot of number of next generation that have a good genes. Because we can't control how can they are ageing in a long-lived, we just hope the researchers to studied and helping and protect then from endanger or might be extinct in some day. Many bad things happened but new life must apply to live. Like Dr. Hayward said "So what ultimately matters is not lifespan, but the number of offspring you leave behind"
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Reference
Davies, E. (2014 March 7). Teenage elephant mums die younger but are fitter. BBC Nature News. Retrieved March 8, 2014 from http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/26436315

2 comments:

  1. I am also very angry when I see elephants walking along busy streets on hot concrete. It very dangerous and the elephants must be so tired. I think the elephants should be in forest. Human do not have right to make money from them in such a cruel way. Whatever people will do, please do it kindly.

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  2. I like elephants. I think they're smart. For example, they can paint by using brush and water colored. I also think that elephant should be conserved for avoiding them from the extinction.

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