Elephants who are past reproductive age often lose their teeth in old age, then slowly starve to death as a result. Explain why there is no evolutionary pressure for this terrible and seemingly maladaptive situation to change.

Typically elephants live until they are over sixty years old. At this age the teeth are worn down and become unusable; some of them may even fall out. When this happens the animal finds it difficult to acquire nutrients and typically becomes malnourished. The animal slowly starves to death and eventually leaves the herd.

There is no reason for this to change from an evolutionary stand point because this animal has already contributed to the herd as a younger elephant. If the older animals continue to live longer this will slow down the movement of the herd as well as consume the resources that the younger elephants need to keep strong and resist predation.

The sick elephants leave the herd and go to the elephant grave yard to pass away and allow the herd to move on.

Larus Larus · Answer 2 · 2022-02-03T15:24:52+01:00

Not providing appropriate or adequate adjustment to the situation or environment is termed as maladaptive.

Maladaptive development

• The elephants possess biggest teeth, which is even bigger in comparison to whales.

• When the animal turns old, their teeth start to damage and fall off, this makes chewing tough.

• The majority of these animals succumb to death at this stage due to starvation.

• This is one of the nature's way to execute the life cycle of these giant creatures.

• This characteristic is termed as the maladaptive development trait, as it is a traumatic manner to die, and has been proven to be more painful to the animal than help.

• Till now, such giant creatures are not able to amend with the situation and has failed to overcome with the difficulty.

Thus, it is the maladaptive development trait, and the elephants till now has failed to overcome from the situation.

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