What would most likely happen to a male elephant that does not have tusks in the wild?

• A. It may have reduced success in competing for mates due to the lack of tusks used in fights.
• B. It would be more likely to be targeted by poachers for its valuable tusks.
• C. It would be unable to survive because tusks are essential for all feeding behaviors.
• D. It would automatically become the leader of the herd.

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the role of tusks in male elephants. Tusks are used for various purposes, including digging for water, stripping bark from trees for food, and fighting during mating competitions. They are also a target for poachers due to their ivory value.
2. Step 2: Analyze the options provided in the question. Consider the biological and ecological implications of each statement about a male elephant without tusks.
3. Step 3: Evaluate the first option: 'It may have reduced success in competing for mates due to the lack of tusks used in fights.' This is plausible because tusks are often used in male-to-male combat during mating competition.
4. Step 4: Evaluate the second option: 'It would be more likely to be targeted by poachers for its valuable tusks.' This is incorrect because a male elephant without tusks would not be targeted for ivory, as it does not possess tusks.
5. Step 5: Evaluate the third and fourth options: 'It would be unable to survive because tusks are essential for all feeding behaviors' and 'It would automatically become the leader of the herd.' Both are incorrect because tusks are not essential for all feeding behaviors, and leadership in elephant herds is typically determined by social structure, not physical traits like tusks.