The African elephant (Loxodonta africana) is the largest land animal on Earth, and every part of its anatomy is adapted for survival in the various landscapes of Africa. From its massive ears designed for cooling to its highly dexterous trunk, the elephant’s body is the result of millions of years of evolution.
Understanding elephant anatomy is not just a scientific curiosity—it is also crucial for conservation. By studying how elephants interact with their environment, we can better protect them and the ecosystems they help shape.
Head and face – built for strength and intelligence
The elephant brain
An elephant’s brain weighs around 4.8 kg, the largest of any land animal. It has a highly developed cerebral cortex, responsible for problem-solving, and a large hippocampus, which is linked to emotion. This structure explains why elephants display behaviours such as grief, learning, play, mimicry, compassion, and cooperation.
Skull structure: built for impact
Despite its size, an elephant’s skull is surprisingly lightweight due to a honeycomb-like structure filled with air cavities. This adaptation reduces the overall weight of the skull while maintaining strength, allowing it to support the powerful trunk and absorb impacts from tusk clashes between males.
Ears: cooling and communication
African elephant ears can reach up to 6 feet in length and 5 feet in width. A vast network of blood vessels within the ears helps regulate body temperature—flapping their ears increases heat loss, similar to how a car radiator cools an engine. Elephants also use ear movements to signal mood and warn potential threats.
Tusks: tools of survival
Tusks are modified incisor teeth used for digging, stripping bark, defence, and dominance displays. Some elephants are naturally tuskless, a trait becoming more common due to selective poaching pressures. However, Tsavo is home to at least 10 recognised Super Tuskers, elephants with tusks weighing over 45 kg (100 lbs) each, making them some of the most extraordinary individuals in the wild.
The trunk: power and precision
An elephant’s trunk is a fusion of the nose and upper lip, containing around 40,000 muscles. This versatile tool allows elephants to grasp, drink, smell, touch, and communicate. A study at Atlanta Zoo showed that elephants can suction fragile objects like tortilla chips without breaking them, demonstrating a remarkable balance of power and delicacy.
Temporal glands: a sign of emotion
Located between the eye and ear, the temporal glands secrete fluid during moments of stress, excitement, or musth (a heightened reproductive state in males). This fluid release is a key sign of elephant emotions and hormonal changes.
Mouth and teeth: a lifetime of chewing
Elephants go through six sets of molars in their lifetime. When the final set wears down, the elephant struggles to chew, which can lead to death from starvation in old age. Their diet includes bark, grass, and fruit, requiring constant grinding.
Body and skin – protection and sensitivity
Thick, wrinkled skin: armour with a purpose
Despite being up to 2.5 cm (1 inch) thick, an elephant’s skin is highly sensitive due to a dense network of nerve endings. Wrinkled skin helps with thermoregulation, as it traps moisture from mud and water, allowing elephants to stay cool for longer.
Fleshy heel: walking silently
Elephants have a unique shock-absorbing heel pad, allowing them to move almost silently despite their massive size. This adaptation also helps them detect vibrations in the ground, giving them an extended sensory range.
Internal testes: a rare mammalian trait
Unlike most mammals, elephants’ testes remain inside the body cavity, possibly as a result of elephants evolving from aquatic mammals. Follow this link to learn abou this curious evolutionary lineage.
Legs and movement – carrying giants
Column-like legs: designed for weight bearing
Elephants’ legs function like pillars, supporting their immense weight. While they cannot jump, they can move at speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph).
Feet and toes: specialised for stability
Each foot has five toes, though not all have visible toenails. Their wide, cushioned feet help distribute weight evenly, preventing injury and aiding in movement across varied terrain.
Tail: oversized fly swatter
An elephant’s tail, often overlooked, serves important functions. The long, coarse hairs at the tip act as a natural fly swatter, helping elephants keep insects at bay. The tail is also used in social interactions, with younger elephants often seen holding onto an older elephant’s tail for guidance and security.
Sensory perception: hearing, smell, and touch
Hearing: low-frequency communication
Elephants have an exceptional sense of hearing, capable of detecting infrasound—frequencies below human hearing range. This allows them to communicate over vast distances, coordinating movements with other herds and detecting distant threats.
Smell: one of the best in the animal kingdom
An elephant’s sense of smell is among the most powerful of any land mammal. They can detect water sources from several kilometres away and use their trunks to sample chemical signals left by other elephants.
Size and weight – the true giants of the animal kingdom
Male African elephants can reach 4 metres (13 feet) at the shoulder, while females are slightly smaller. Adult males can weigh up to an astonishing 11,000 kg (24,250 lbs), although they average around 6,000 kg with females around 3,000 kg (6,600 lbs).
The role of anatomy in conservation
At Tsavo Trust, we use our knowledge of elephant anatomy to monitor their health and behaviour. Understanding their ears helps us detect signs of stress, while tracking tusk growth helps identify key individuals. Studying elephant movements allows us to pinpoint critical habitats that require protection.
The African elephant’s anatomy is perfectly suited to its environment, but poaching, habitat loss, and climate change threaten their future. By safeguarding their landscapes, we ensure that these incredible giants continue to shape Africa’s wild spaces for generations to come.
Support Tsavo Trust’s conservation efforts today and help protect Africa’s greatest land mammal.