Abstract
A clear understanding of historic lifetime traits of species is important in understanding the strategy of the male species. A Threatened species in the ecosystem need to be considered for safety using an intervention on their generic characteristics and behavior. Conservative measures for these species especially the elephant which has a considerable longer reproduction period need to intervene on the basis of anthropogenic interventions on the reproduction dominance. The result of the relationship between African male elephant’s age and paternity specific success tactic showed that paternity rises with age having a small number of active old bulls in the musth state competition (Ganswindt A, 2005). However, nonmusth sired male constituted 20% of the calves genotyped. During the five year period, the less than 20 years old bulls of 60% mature bulls were predicted to be sired progeny. The results also proved that poaching of old elephants have effects to genetic and behavior of the surviving elephants.
Introduction
Life time decisions on reproduction of the male species are dependent on the extent to which such species can monopolize their tactic specific paternity success and age. All these strategies in combination with trades-offs and the genetic process caused by the dynamics in population will have a life time influence to such species. Such combinations are predicted to have influence on lifespan and maturation times of the male species. This makes it of importance to understand the specific tactical success of such organisms in order to plan for strategic actions to save them from the threatening extinction. To obtain more understanding on the evolutionary relationship between the male species evolutionary forces and morphology, the study uses the wild and well known population of male African elephants to test the predictions that may prevail based on paternity success and life experience straits such elephant (Ganswindt A, 2005). Paternity is not directly observable and so the research employs proxy measurements.
Methodology
The study population inhabited around the northern part of Kenya and constituted the study population size of 900 elements (220 females and calves in addition to 150 males). The ages of all were identified and the monitoring continued. The population lost significant older males through poaching and another 322 calves added to the population. A sample of 25% (79 calves) and 83% (66 mother elephants) were obtained for analysis. Then 51% were genotyped, this included 88 of the study population of the 174 identified. The comparison of paternity success was carried under the hypothesis that there exists a tactical specific paternity changes to the elephants. The degree of confidence maintained at 95%.
Results
After the study, several results were observed. Contender male parents were allocated forty-two calves. 53% of these calves were 80% confidence after the competing male parents excluded from the study with the assumptions that they were incapable of competing. After the evaluation of the male parent, it was also found out that the remaining had no biological relation with the mother of the calf (Gemmell, 2001). Therefore, at the end of the assessment, 36 calves were found to resolve the begging question. The remaining calves were found out to be sired by unknown males. What this show is that there were calves that were uncounted for because of the deficits brought by lack of identification as to who the biological father was, thus leaving the option of probability as to the secondary father.
All the 36 calves that their male parent were identified were examined for two week after their estimate date which they were born leaving us with assumption from the gestation period which is 616 days. The number of assigned per bull were equivalent with every cow proportional to the sampled bull that passed the test. The age and tactic of every calf was estimated using the bull that carried the test (Ganswindt, 2005). Three bulls showed more correspondence of 20% of their genotype calves based on the age group of the calves. Finally, it was found out that male elephants older than 20-years can only fertilized once after every five years.
Discussion
According to this results, majority of the 36 calves were fertilized by male bulls over 20years hence the cause that is supporting the behavior evolving over the generations. Therefore, this was had to sample, the relationship of the father and calves since the two age group and generations differ causing a post mature in the bull’s pattern that differs with the general pattern of mammals. The older bulls had high chances of transferring the characteristics their offspring.
In conclusion, our results shows that males bulls in their early ages tend to be more productive and when their reproduce their offspring’s are successful lacking major failure in life. The age dependant is caused by the shift in mating tactic that is directly influenced by age of bull with younger bull being more active with the capability of reproducing more than 2 times in les than 5 years period. Therefore, it is evident that age tactic is influential in determining the rate of reproduction of male elephants. Adding to this, there are other factors that influence this concept, that the female factor and male-to-male supremacy in a group of elephants.
References:
Gemmell NJ, Burg TM, Boyd IL, Amos W. 2001. Low reproductive success in territorial male Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) suggests the existence of alternative mating strategies.Mol Ecol. 10:451–460.
Ganswindt A, Rasmussen HB, Heistermann M, Keith J. 2005. The sexually active states of free-ranging male African elephants (Loxodonta africana): defining musth and non-musth using endocrinology, physical signals, and behavior. Horm Behav. 47:83–91.
