Elephants At Waterhole
August 14, 2019
Elephants are a regular sighting at our waterhole and we are privileged o see them here on a regular basis,often in small groups or as a larger breeding herd. This sub-adult is engaged in the common behavior of using its trunk to develop a sunscreen from UV light as ,even though an elephants skin is tough,it is very sensitive. The combination of water and dust creates a “crust”which aids in protection from the sun’s dangerous rays. This crust also helps the elephant retain moisture and protect against insect bites and ensure that the skin does not suffer damage.
The trunk is an extremely specialized appendage that has more than 100,000 muscles and is a known biologically as a muscle hydrostat……it performs hydraulic movement without fluid in a separate compartment and the trunk moves by precisely coordinated muscle contractions.
Elephants are unique animals and there is so much to learn about this complex species.
