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Join Date: 20 Sep 2011
Location:  KuwaitPosts: 100 |
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Is an elephant's trunk really its nose? |
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Yes, an elephant breathes through its trunk, or proboscis, which has two nostrils through which air can pass. But an elephant's muscular trunk-which nearly reaches the ground-can do several other remarkable things. On the end of the trunk is a sensitive, fingerlike lip or protuberance (an African elephant has two) that can feel and pick up food and other objects. (The end of an elephant's trunk is so sensitive that it can pick up a piece of thread from the floor.) An elephant can also pick up and carry large things like logs by wrapping its strong trunk-which contains hundreds of individual muscles-around them. Because elephants are intelligent and easily trained, people have used them for centuries to do heavy work in certain parts of the world.
An elephant can draw water up into its trunk and either release it into its mouth for a drink or shower it onto its back. It can do the same with dust and dirt, giving itself a soothing spray. An elephant also uses its trunk to make noise. The trumpeting sound we associate with elephants comes from its trunk. |
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