On page 81 we told you how elephants are a lot like humans. So what do elephants have that makes them so special? Two things: big brains and amazing trunks.
THEY NEVER FORGET
An elephant brain—like the human brain—is large and complex. Almost all other mammals have smaller brains compared to the size of their body, so they must rely more on instincts, or built-in instructions, to guide them. But elephants’ oversized brains allow them to learn and to pass on knowledge. This also gives them great memories—elephants can recognize other elephants, people, places, and objects that they haven’t seen for years.
NO BONES ABOUT IT
But it’s the elephant’s trunk that makes it so unique. And what exactly is a trunk? A lip? Not entirely. A nose? Kind of.
The trunk is actually a union of a nose and an upper lip—a highly sensitive, multitalented appendage that contains more than 100,000 muscles and not a single bone.
On the tip of the trunk are two fleshy buds that act like fingers. They allow an elephant to pick up a single peanut from the ground or remove tiny bugs from their skin. But the trunk is also very powerful. An adult elephant’s trunk can be seven feet long and weigh more than 300 pounds—and be strong enough to knock down an entire tree!
A human skull is actually made up of 8 bones that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle.
The trunk is also an incredible sensory organ, giving elephants a better sense of smell than any other land mammal. And with the huge brain to guide it, the trunk can be put to hundreds of different uses. Here are a few:
Disciplinary Tool: Mother gently trunk-slaps her child.
Toy: Why did Junior get slapped? Because he was using his trunk to fling mud on Mom.
Bucket: A trunk can suck in more than a gallon of water to drink or wash with.
Snorkel: Elephants can walk along the bottom of a river with just the tip of their trunks sticking out for air.
Crane: If an elephant needs to reach higher, she’ll use her trunk to stack a pile of logs or rocks to stand on.
Paintbrush: Elephants in captivity have been taught to paint pictures with their trunks. Some have been shown in museums and sold for thousands of dollars!
So the next time you see an elephant in a zoo or at a game park, say hello. Chances are, your greeting will be appreciated.
Are you left-handed? If so, there’s about a 50% chance that you’re left-footed, too.