Final answer:
Due to poaching for ivory, the elephant populations in Africa are adapting; females increasingly lack tusks, and there's a reduction in body mass within certain groups. Protection strategies like national parks and integrating tourism with village economies may improve conservation efforts.
Step-by-step explanation:
Poaching has significantly impacted elephant populations in Africa, leading to various changes in their physical characteristics and behaviors due to the pressure of selection. Noticeable within these populations are a surprising number of females lacking tusks, a trait which might increase their survival against poachers who typically hunt elephants for ivory. Moreover, the body mass of elephants is also decreasing in national parks, likely as a survival advantage or due to ecological stresses like habitat loss or competition for resources.
Additionally, strategies to protect elephants from poachers have included the establishment of large national parks and the involvement of local communities through tourism. While setting up enormous national parks may provide a habitat for elephants to thrive, incorporating local villages in conservation efforts through tourism can create economic incentives for villagers, which may increase support for elephant conservation and reduce poaching incidents more effectively.