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Another snippet
of nature trivia ...
The Beauty of an
Elephant's Wrinkly Skin
There are so many things that make elephants so intriguing and one of them is their skin. I am sure you have noticed
how very wrinkly it is. It makes one think they need a good slathering of lotion to make it smooth. But nope, that wrinkly skin serves important purposes!
Wrinkly skin helps keep elephants cooler! They love a good wallow in mud and
a lovely bath in a waterhole. Their wrinkly skin traps the water and mud in folds and crevices and that moisture is retained for longer before evaporating. That in turn keeps them cooler in hot weather which is important considering they don't have sweat glands except in the cuticles of
their feet. Consequently, dehydration is also prevented.
An interesting side note is that Asian elephants have smoother skin than African elephants. Why? They live in a wetter environment, where it is easier to stay cool.
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There are more benefits of the tiny crevices that are retaining the water and mud. Their skin is protected from parasites and bugs and intense solar radiation. Talk about very natural
insect repellent and sunscreen!
So wrinkles may not thrill humans as
they get older, but they are certainly welcome in the world of elephants!
Hurray for wrinkles!