See An Elephant Demand Food By Sticking Its Trunk Through a Fence And Snagging Carrots
This elephant is giving a wonderful demonstration of just how dexterous a trunk can be. All it has to do is place its trunk through these railings a nice human gives it some carrots! We don’t get to see any other part of the elephant though! Scroll down to get an amazing up- close view of how an elephant’s trunk works.
What Exactly Is an Elephant’s Trunk?
An elephant’s trunk is actually their nose and upper lip fused together. There are two nostrils at the tip which you get a very clear view of in this clip. You also get a great demonstration of just how dexterous an elephant can be using their trunk. There are eight major muscles on each side and 150,000 portions of muscles over the entire trunk. It contains no bone and no cartilage. Elephant’s trunks can be between 6 and 6.5 feet in length and can weigh 440 pounds. There are some differences between the trunk of an African elephant and an Asian elephant. In general, the African elephant’s trunk is more heavily banded and is not as hard as that of the Asian elephant. The African elephant has two distinct ‘fingers’ – one on the top and one on the bottom. The Asian elephant has just one ‘finger’.
What Is an Elephant’s Trunk For?
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An elephant’s trunk is vital for its survival and fulfills several purposes. The obvious purpose is that they breathe through it. At least 70 percent of the air inhaled by an elephant enters their lungs through the trunk. The rest comes through the mouth. Elephants can actually use their trunk for snorkeling! They can submerge themselves under the water the carry-on breathing through the trunk which they hold above the water. Elephants also use their trunk for lifting, smelling, and spraying things over their body. They like to spray both dust and water using their trunks. At the end of the trunk is a prehensile tip. This is used for grasping objects as we get to see in this clip. The fingers at the tip of the trunk allow the elephant to grab even small objects – like carrots!
Finally, the trunk is used for producing sound. Elephants use sound during courtship, to communicate with their calves, and to show when they are displeased. It is a common misconception that elephants drink through their trunk. In fact, they suck water up into their trunk and then squirt it into their mouths. An elephant’s trunk can hold a staggering two gallons of water at a time!
