Elephants’ trunks can suck in water really fast
Recommended for Preparatory Grades
Elephants are the biggest land animals on Earth. Apart from their size, they are known for their long trunks (noses). An elephant’s trunk contains more than 40,000 muscles and weighs about 100 kg. It is also very flexible. So, it can be used to smell things, suck up water or even grab food.
Scientists have recently found that elephants can use their trunks to inhale (suck up) water or other things at speeds of over 540 km/hr. This is faster than the speed of a Japan Rail bullet train!
For this study, scientists conducted an experiment with a 34-year-old female African elephant. They gave her different items and used cameras to record how she used her trunk. It turns out these animals use their trunks like a vacuum. This helps them pick up even small things without breaking them.
The scientists also found out that elephants can expand the size of their trunks. This is why they could suck in incredible amounts of water.
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