UI professors contribute to ivory research
Gwyn Skiles, The Daily Illini
April 8, 2021
See link
https://dailyillini.com/features/2021/04/08/ui-professors-set-framework-for-animal-science-research/
for photos.
Oceans away, mighty beasts shake the earth as they tilt their large grey
ears and point their tusks forward.
University professors and researchers led nationally recognized
advancements in the study of elephants, making a name for themselves in the
studies of animal sciences and anthropology.
Alfred Roca professor in ACES and elephant studies expert said he has been
providing evidence to prove the differences between African forest
elephants and African savanna elephants.
“They’re as different from each other as humans from chimps and probably
more different from lions and tigers,” Roca said.
Until recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature
officially recognized the two different species. This especially helps
forest elephants, whose population has declined by more than 86% over the
past few decades.
“I just hope it’s not too late,” Roca said.
While savanna elephants are also endangered, their population has only
declined by less than 60%. Roca said forest elephants are more at risk of
extinction due to their slow reproduction rate: they wait six years longer
than savanna elephants to reproduce.
Forest elephants are also more susceptible to poaching because Roca said
the ivory in their tusks is easier to carve and they tend to live in
unprotected areas.
When the Union recognized the difference between the two species of
elephants, it increased the chances of conservation efforts for forest
elephants, Roca said.
However, the endangerment of forest elephants doesn’t only affect them. It
also puts indigenous trees at risk.
Students at the University who haven’t studied animal sciences said they
are still aware that elephants are endangered.
Sophia Diaz, Freshman in LAS, said she’s upset by the lack of activism to
save elephants and argues that any research to help them is time well spent.
“I’m very disappointed with how everything has been handled,” Diaz said.
“There’s not a lot of action being done for elephants because I know
there’s a lot of trafficking being done for their tusks. I know that
they’re about to be extinct.”
Roca and his colleagues examined elephant tusks found in the wreckage of
the Bom Jesus, a ship found off the coast of Namibia that was used for
trade in the 16th century.
In the conclusion of their research summary, the team said, “our
interdisciplinary methodologies revealed the long-term genetic diversity
and habitat use of the African forest elephant, helpful for conserving this
iconic species.”
By extracting DNA from the ivory, Roca and his colleagues were able to
determine the origins of widespread poaching of forest elephants.
Roca’s colleague, post-doctoral student Alida de Flamingh, said the process
to remove the DNA from the ivory is daunting. However, their research
provides the blueprints for future investigations using DNA extraction of
ivory.
“The study provides a method or protocol for analyzing these archaeological
artifacts specifically ivory in this case,” de Flamingh said. “This
protocol and this approach can be used for other types of ivory as well.”
Before entering the laboratory, de Flamingh had to put on protective gear
and spray herself with chemicals that kill any DNA on her person. This is
so researchers are certain that the DNA extracted is from the ivory. The
ivory was sent to the University from the University of Cape Town, South
Africa. Illinois has one of eight ancient DNA laboratories in the country.
The drama of a shipwreck and the significance of endangered elephants is
something de Flamingh said would attract students to the study.
“I think one of the things that this research shows is that science can be
used to answer really cool questions,” de Flamingh said. “Everybody is
interested in shipwrecks and loot within a shipwreck and everybody loves
elephants. Who would’ve thought that you could determine where elephants
that lived 500 years ago came from?”
De Flamingh is originally from South Africa but came to the University
after emailing Roca and seeing the elephant studies programs.
“When I was in South Africa, I was studying elephant genetics,” de Flamingh
said. “There aren’t really elephant genetics professors in South Africa, so
for my master’s, I really struggled to find people to help me. While I was
doing my master’s, I kept citing articles by Roca.”
The team conducted research abroad in addition to utilizing campus
resources. They traveled to the National Museum of Namibia and the
University of Cape Town, South Africa to collaborate with others.
While there aren’t any elephants in the United States, de Flamingh said
Illinois has much better facilities to study them than their peers abroad.
One of the biggest takeaways de Flamingh said was teaching their partners
in Namibia and South Africa how to analyze the DNA in the ivory and helping
them expand their facilities.
“I feel extremely passionate about showing people that don’t have the same
opportunities that I had for my Ph.D. that those opportunities are out
there,” de Flamingh said. “One of the good things that came from this
project is it provided the funded opportunity to go to South Africa and
share these analytical techniques which would be extremely helpful.”
In the future, the team plans on continuing its ivory analyses. However,
they plan on examining other animals such as walruses and rhinoceros.
Although de Flamingh can’t share any specifics, she said she is looking
into working with the Field Museum in Chicago.
https://dailyillini.com/features/2021/04/08/ui-professors-set-framework-for-animal-science-research/