Answer:
Argument: A trend toward an increased incidence of tusklessness will result in decreased population sizes in the
future.
Claim: In the long term, tusklessness in African elephants is not beneficial to populations, even when heavy
poaching is occurring. So, as tusklessness increases, elephant population sizes will decline.
Evidence: Although poachers kill elephants with tusks, elephants rely on their tusks for survival. Elephants use
their tusks to strip bark off trees for food and to dig up water and minerals from the ground. Male elephants
also use their tusks in competitions with other males for females.
Reasoning: Tuskless elephants are probably not as healthy as those with tusks, as they cannot eat bark off trees
and are unable to dig for water and minerals. During harsh conditions such as droughts, elephants without
tusks would be less likely to survive. Male elephants without tusks are also more likely to be injured during
mating competitions. If too many males are injured or killed, there may be a decline in reproduction.
Over time, many of the tuskless elephants will die or be unable to reproduce, so the population’s size will
decrease.
Explanation:
