I can't stop watching these two videos, which provide an extremely close-up view of an elephant's trunk grabbing carrots (in the first video), and then bananas (in the second). I love how the elephant gets its treat and then immediately comes back for more. I've never actually seen an elephant's trunk so clearly—it's so cute!
Elephant trunks aren't just cute, they're also incredibly useful. To get a little glimpse into these wonderful snouts, take a look at this 3-minute video by Insider Science, "What's Inside An Elephant Trunk?" It explains that trunks are made almost entirely of muscle and have no bones or joints, which allows the trunk to be incredibly flexible and move in all directions. Trunks are super strong, so they can lift hundreds of pounds, but they can also delicately lift small and fragile objects without breaking them. Elephants also have terrific senses of smell, as they possess more olfactory receptor genes than any other animal. They can also use their trunks as snorkels or hoses. Trunks are simply amazing—enjoy this awesome view of these trunks in action!
