Why Elephants Have Whiskers on Their Trunks
A group of zoologists from the Bernstein Center for Computational Neuroscience Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, and Berlin Zoological Garden has uncovered the function of whiskers located on elephant trunks. In their study, which was published in the journal Communications Biology, the team examined elephant trunks and their whiskers using two different approaches.
The elephant trunk is undeniably one of the most distinctive features among animals worldwide. It possesses a remarkable combination of sensitivity and strength, boasting around 150,000 muscular units. Furthermore, its versatility is truly remarkable: elephants utilize their trunks for various tasks, including breathing, grasping objects, sucking up water, and spraying it for drinking or to alleviate the annoyance of flies.
Interestingly, elephants have even been observed using their trunks as snorkels, allowing them to traverse creek beds while walking on the bottom. However, the purpose of the whiskers that line the trunk has remained relatively unknown. To shed light on this mystery, the research team embarked on a new study.
The Curious Case of Whisker Wonders
The initial phase of the investigation involved capturing close-up video recordings of elephant trunks in action. Several elephants were enlisted as volunteers and encouraged to poke their trunks through a hole in a box to retrieve enticing treats like carrots or apples. The researchers closely observed the role, if any, played by the whiskers in the process of obtaining the treats. Surprisingly, they discovered that the whiskers did not exhibit the same behavior as those found in other mammals such as rats—they remained still and did not show any noticeable response to the environment.
During the subsequent phase of their research, the team proceeded to dissect trunks obtained from deceased elephants. Upon examination, they made several noteworthy observations about the whiskers. Firstly, they noted that the whiskers on elephant trunks were comparatively thicker than those found in other mammals and exhibited a cylindrical shape. Furthermore, they discovered that these whiskers lacked follicular nerves, which are typically responsible for sensory functions in whiskers.
Based on their findings, the researchers reached a significant conclusion regarding the purpose of the whiskers. They proposed that these specialized structures serve to assist elephants in determining the appropriate amount of pressure to apply when gripping or squeezing objects. This attribute is particularly important considering the diverse range of items that elephants handle and manipulate.
Read The Original Article On PHYS.
Read More: Evidence That Giraffes Are an Extremely Socially Complex Species – As Socially Sophisticated As Elephants.
