Channel: biointeractive

Category: Science & Technology

Tags: gorongosa national parktusksnatural selectionbiologytusklesshhmibiointeractivehoward hughes medical institutedna sequencegeneticselephantsteethpoachingshane campbell-statontooth

Description: Most African elephants have tusks, but some never grow them — especially in places that have a history of poaching, like Gorongosa National Park. Scientists are trying to determine the genes involved in tusk development and how variations in these genes can lead to tusklessness. In this video, biologist Shane Campbell-Staton walks through the steps of collecting DNA samples from elephants in Gorongosa National Park and how he plans to analyze their DNA sequences. For more information and related materials, visit HHMI BioInteractive: biointeractive.org/classroom-resources/genetics-tusklessness-elephants