Elephant’s Trunk - Amazing Facts to Know About
Mudumalai National Park is a celebrated wildlife destination in Tamil Nadu in the district of Nilgiris. While on a safari at Mudumalai, the Asian Elephants are among the most sighted animals in the national park. The magnificent elephants, often referred to as the gentle giants of the forest, are a remarkable sight to behold and are known for their calm nature unless provoked. Among their distinctive features, their tusks and trunks stand out, with the latter serving as versatile appendages similar to hands.
Facts about the Elephants’ Trunk
An elephant's trunk is the most conspicuous part of its body, but gaze upon an elephant skeleton and you'd never realize that such an appendage existed, as there are no bones to mark its presence. The trunk of an elephant, which is a combination of the nose and upper lip, serves as a multi-functional tool for breathing, smelling, touching, grasping, and producing sound. It is considered one of the most remarkable body parts in the animal world. In order to get a closer look, make an Online safari booking for Mudumalai National Park .
1. The trunk has high water-carrying capacity
The capacity of an elephant's trunk to hold water varies depending on the size and age of the elephant, as their trunk grows alongside them. When fully developed, an elephant's trunk, which can weigh more than 100kg, can contain approximately 8 to 10 liters of water in a single hold. Despite common misconception, elephants do not drink directly through their trunks; rather, they suck water up into their trunks and then spray it into their mouths. Additionally, they utilize water to spray over their bodies to cool off, and the ability to spray up to 10 litres at a time proves highly advantageous for them.
2. The trunks are a substitute for hands
Similar to human infants, baby elephants also experiment with which side of their trunk they prefer to use predominantly. By the age of one, a calf typically develops a preference for either the left or right side of its trunk, which it relies on most for grasping objects. This phenomenon mirrors the concept of humans becoming left-handed or right-handed as they grow.
3. Means of communication
Apart from its vital functions such as breathing, smelling, drinking, and feeding, the elephant's trunk serves important social purposes, including greetings and caresses. Mother elephants frequently employ their trunks to provide comfort to their offspring, gently stroking the calf's neck and shoulders. They may even wrap their trunks around the calf's belly or back leg in a gesture of reassurance. Additionally, elephants have been observed using their trunks to soothe themselves when feeling unsettled, employing gentle petting motions to alleviate discomfort.
4. Strong muscular network - the secret of powerful trunks
The elephant trunk stands out as one of the most intricate organs in the animal kingdom, boasting a remarkable number of muscles. To provide perspective, while the human body contains a total of 639 muscles, the elephant trunk alone surpasses this count. Unlike human muscles, which are supported by bones and tendons, the elephant trunk lacks any bones yet exhibits incredible strength and flexibility comparable to a human tongue. This versatile appendage empowers elephants to accomplish extraordinary tasks, from uprooting trees to lifting astonishing weights of up to 30,000 kg. Additionally, the elephant trunk serves as a vital tool for reaching high tree branches, showcasing its multifunctional capabilities.
5. Trunks also act like a remarkable sensory organ
Elephants boast an extraordinary sense of smell, facilitated by millions of receptor cells located in the upper nasal cavities. This keen olfactory sense surpasses even that of a bloodhound's nose, allowing elephants to detect fresh water from distances of nearly 20 km away. Positioned at the tip of the trunk, the nostrils serve dual purposes of breathing and smelling. Constantly in motion, the trunk sweeps back and forth, actively detecting new scents and gathering valuable information.