The Elephant Trunk

Grazing up to 19 hours and eating up to 300 kilograms every day. None of which would be possible without their trunk. A fusion of their nose and upper lip. It's immensely powerful, capable of lifting up to 350 kilograms. But it's flexible too, allowing them to reach 7 metres high up into the trees. And it's also highly sensitive. On the tip of an African elephant's trunk are two finger- And inside, it's even more intricate. The elephant's trunk contains more than 100,000 muscle units. Fluid within the muscle cells becomes firm when compressed, working Different sections of the trunk can work independently and can bend or twist, lengthen and shorten. It's one of the most versatile tools in the animal kingdom. And when combined with their tusks, the elephant is formidable. Elephants tusks occur in both males and females, and they're actually modified teeth in sizes that develop in the upper jaw and replace milk teeth around six months after birth. They can keep growing as much as 17 centimetres a year and can reach three metres in length. And because elephants favour one tusk over another, they tend to be worn down at different rates. Working in tandem with their trunk, an elephant's tusks are an invaluable tool for moving trees, stripping branches and foraging for food. And once they've harnessed that food, it's the teeth inside their mouth that take over. Elephants have four huge molars, the largest of any mammal alive today. Each one grows up to 30 centimetres high and can weigh as much as five kilograms. Their size and shape is crucial when it comes to eating such a tough diet. But these teeth are not permanent. If they were, once worn down, the elephant would starve to death. Instead, they've evolved an ingenious solution. Un The molars start at the back of their mouth and gradually move forward, pushing out the older ones which are worn down. It's And these teeth can be replaced up to six times during the elephant's life.