weight – Discover-Nature

Squirrels of Illinois

Squirrels are members of the family Rodentia, along with about 40% of all mammals species including mice, rats, voles, beavers, muskrats, guinea pigs, and hamsters. Rodents are characterized by the two front teeth on both the upper and lower jaws that grow continuously their entire lives.

^{Note incisors on left strike against each other to remain sharp; Molars grow in back of mouth}

^{Rodent dental system by V. Leche, professor Stockholm hogskola}

^{Guinea pig incisors by Morbakka, Oct 2024}

Squirrels in Illinois can be found in forested areas as well as urban communities. They all use their long tails for balance when climbing trees or resting on branches as well as running along branches, wires, and tops of walls. Squirrels are excellent climbers and can jump up to ten feet. They are able to gnaw and chew through almost any non-metal material.

^{Grey squirrel jumping to a fence top by AJ, Nov 2017}

Most species are solitary dwellers, but not territorial, able to live on their own, but in close association with other squirrels, rarely fighting for territory, food, or mates. They breed twice each year, once in winter and once in early summer. Two to four young are typically born and can fend for themselves after about two months. The young will often stay with the mother until the next litter is born.

Squirrels use tree cavities for raising young and for protection from predators, but most of the time they live in nests built of twigs and leaves high up in a tree. Nests are normally located near readily available water. They eat a variety of foods including nuts, berries, acorns, fruit, buds, fungi, seeds, and insects.

^{Fox squirrel by Corey Seeman, Jan 2023}

^{Fox squirrel by Corey Seeman, Jan 2020}

The fox squirrel, Sciurus niger, is the largest species in Illinois at about 22″ in length and weighing up to two pounds. Their fur is reddish-brown, with lighter shades on ears, bellies, and tail edges. They are common in urban areas, but are often found where there are no gray squirrels. Fox squirrels are most active in the early morning and late evening and are excellent swimmers.

^{Grey squirrel by Zoblinski,}
^{Getty Images}

^{Leucistic (white) grey squirrel}
^{by Pete Weiler, Pexels}

^{Melinistic (black) grey squirrel}
^{by Tom GV, Getty Images}

The Eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, is slightly smaller at about 18″ long and weighs about a pound. They have short, gray fur, but are often subject to genetic variations that result in different colored fur. Common variants in Illinois include melanistic or black squirrels, leucistic or white squirrels, and albino squirrels. Eastern gray squirrels are abundant in urban areas and large forested tracks. However, there are very few forests left in Illinois to support these animals.

^{Red squirrel by Christopher Defalco, Pexels}

Red squirrels, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, are small, about a foot long, weighing about a half pound. They have reddish-brown backs with white bellies and a dark orange stripe down their back in summertime. Red squirrels are found only in the northeast quarter of the state in large forested areas. They are diurnal, active in early morning and late evening.

^{Southern flying squirrel by EEI_Tony, Getty Images}

The Southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans, is the smallest species at about nine inches, weighing only two ounces. They have gray-red-brown backs with white bellies and are nocturnal, making them difficult to observe. Flying squirrels have large eyes to see better at night and a long, flattened tail that is used as a rudder when airborne. A flap of skin runs between the front and back legs on either side of their body and is stretched taut when their legs are spread, providing the ability to jump from a high place and glide down to a lower place. Unlike other squirrel species, flying squirrels share a communal nest during most of the year.

^{Northern flying squirrel by Dopeyden, Getty Images______While this is not the species found in Illinois, flight patterns are very similar…}

Squirrels play an important part in forest and urban tree regeneration. They bury acorns and other nuts in warmer months for winter food stores, but usually bury many more than they actually consume. The remainder are left to germinate, resulting in many new trees each year. Squirrels are fun to observe and can provide enjoyment and an opportunity to learn about wildlife behaviors. Come down to the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum or a nature center near you to learn more about these amazing animals.

Great Horned Owls

The great-horned owl, Bubo virginianus, is native to much of the Americas, including most of North America and Central America and about half of South America. It is the second heaviest owl in North America, right behind the snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus, weighing up to five-and-a-half pounds with a wingspan between three and five feet.

^{Great-horned owl, Bubo virginianus, by Andy Reago&Chrissy McClareen, Aug 2012}

^{Range and distribution of Great-Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus by BirdLife International, 2014}

Feathers cover the entire body, including their feet, and are varying shades of browns and grays. Their backs and heads are mottled or barred in several patches. This coloration, especially when coupled with mostly nocturnal activities, provides excellent camouflage. Their ‘horns’ are actually feathers sticking upwards on either side of their heads. These are called plumicorns, but their function is not well understood. The feather structure of the wing allows owls to fly silently and includes a serrated leading edge to disrupt turbulence and softer feathers behind to help deaden sound.

^{Great horned owl plumicorns by Jean-pol Grandmont, Aug 2013}

^{Great horned owl wing structure by Peter K. Burian, Aug 2015}

The owl’s ears are covered by feathers, but are not symmetrical with one being higher on the side of the head than the other. This arrangement provides the owl with the ability to triangulate sounds and precisely locate prey in the dark or when prey is hidden, such as when an animal is moving about under a layer of snow. Their flattened face, shaped as a round disc, also helps to direct sound to their ears. Like all owls, their eyes are fixed in the sockets, but the bird can swivel its head almost 180° to either side allowing it to see in all directions.

^{Great horned owl talons by Curtis Bouvier, May 2010}

Great horned owls hunt from a perch, observing the area below them before diving swiftly and silently from far above. Their diet consists of small mammals, birds, amphibians, and a variety of snakes. Their talons are powerful and deadly, with a grip comparable to much larger birds such as golden eagles. Most prey is killed by being pierced or crushed in the talons. Owls may hunt and kill for more than their immediate needs and will cache their kills for future meals.

Great horned owls are not migratory. When an owl is ready to mate, courtship occurs in late fall and pairs mate for life, establishing a territory together in which they will live their entire lives. Most territorial defense is through hooting at a transgressor, but rare physical confrontations have been observed. If an owl cannot establish its own territory, it will live in silence among the fringes of other territories.

^{Great-horned owl juveniles, Bubo virginianus, by Alan Vernon, Jun 2010}

^{Great horned owl female & juvenile on nest by John Kees, Apr 2012}

Males are responsible for picking a nest site, almost always taking over a nest constructed by another species. Mated pairs breed once every two to three years, laying from one to six eggs. Egg laying occurs between late February and early April. The female alone incubates the eggs, never leaving the nest, while the male hunts and brings her food. After about 33 days, the eggs hatch. Young owls will start to fly after seven weeks, but take a full month or more to become proficient.

^{Great horned owl calling, Bubo virginianus, by Michael & Katie LaTour, Jan 2019 (at 0:02, 0:10)}

^{Great-horned owl pair calling by Bushman, Dec 2013 (at 0:18, 0:41, 0:51, 1:22)}

Owls are more often heard than seen. Although the females are larger than males, females have a smaller voice box and thus a higher pitched hooting call ending with a slight rising note. Juveniles can make hissing or screeching sounds and are often misidentified as barn owls, Tyto furcata.

You can learn more about these magnificent birds at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum. Make a reservation to come see us by visiting our website at: https://ben.edu/campus-links/jurica-suchy-nature-museum/ (click on Register to Visit the Museum).

Ostrich

The ostrich, the largest and heaviest bird, is one of the handful of birds that cannot fly. They live in arid and semi-arid habitats in Africa, as well as in a small population of once captive birds that were released into the wilds of Australia. Several sub-species of the common ostrich, Struthio camelus can be found across most of Africa, while the Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, is only found in the far east around the Horn of Africa.

^{Common ostrich, Struthio cameus, Tanzania by Patrick Gijsbers, Getty Images Signature; Female Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, in Kenya by Ninara, Dec 2013; Male Somali ostrich, Struthio molybdophanes, in Kenya by Christiaan Kooyman, Jan 2003}

Ostrich males, called roosters, are predominantly black and can grow to 9′ and 180 pounds, while the slightly smaller females, called hens, have grayish-brown feathers and top out at about 6′ and 240 pounds. They live 30-40 years in the wild. Ostrich eyes, at almost 2″ in diameter, are the largest eyes of any land animal. Their species, camelus, refers to their long necks, large eyelashes, long legs, and their ability to go without water for extended periods.

Birds that can fly have many strong flight muscles attached to their sternum, which is shaped like a keel, an elongated structure which is narrow at the top and flares out at the bottom. However, the sternum of the ostrich is flattened and their wings are quite small. They do have powerful legs that allow them to sprint over 40mph and run long distances at an average speed of 31mph. Their long legs can cover 10-16 feet in a single stride. They only have two toes with one having a long claw that can dig into the ground for extra traction.

Notice the flattened sternum on the lower right of the ostrich compared to a flying bird below with a much larger bone.

^{Above: Flying bird shows large keel for flight muscles by LeeLiyi, Jun 2006}

^{Left: Ostrich skeleton, Museum of Veterinary Anatomy, FMVZ USP Wagner Souza e Silva, Dec, 2015}

Ostriches live in small family groups called herds. An average herd is about a dozen birds, led by one dominant male and one dominant female, called pack leaders. When males are ready to breed, they make a booming sound using an air sac in their throats that can be heard over long distances. When a female approaches, the male will puff out his chest, bow to the female, and do a dance that includes much tail shaking. This is repeated several times until the female indicates whether or not she will mate.

Ostrich eggs in shallow sandy depression, Namibia, by Th Trede, Getty Images

A dominant male digs a shallow nest 9 to 10 feet wide and mates with several females. Each mating results in 7-10 eggs laid together in the one nest. Ostrich eggs are the largest of any egg in the world weighing about 3 pounds, equal to 2 dozen chicken eggs. One male and one female will take turns incubating about 20 of the eggs, while the remaining eggs are ejected from the nest. Babies hatch in six weeks and are the size of a chicken when born, but they will grow about a foot a month, reaching adult size in six months.

Ostrich toes & claws by Mirko Vuckovic, Getty Images

Ostriches are omnivores mainly eating roots, seeds, and leaves, but will also eat insects, rodents, and snakes. They lack teeth; and as with many birds, they ingest small pebbles to help grind their food in the stomach. They are most vulnerable when eating or protecting their nests, and predators include lions, cheetahs, hyenas, and jackals. When threatened, an ostrich will not bury its heads in the sand. The bird may lie down on the ground with its head and neck stretched out to present a lower profile. They may run away, but if that is not possible, especially when protecting a nest, they will stand their ground. Their legs and sharp claws are powerful enough to deliver a kick capable of killing an adult lion. Many predators will not attack an adult ostrich, but their eggs are a delicacy for predators, vultures and other opportunists.

Many farms raise these birds, harvesting feathers and leather for clothing, plus meat and eggs for food. Although they are not considered endangered, ostriches are still threatened by habitat loss and poaching. At the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum you can view an adult ostrich, nest and eggs, plus see our new display on the skeletal structure of birds including our adult ostrich skeleton.

Hummingbirds

It is getting to the end of summer, and many bird species that winter in Central and South America will soon be starting their migrations. Of the 320 species of hummingbirds, 15 spend the summer breeding in North America, from the Gulf Coast states to southern Canada, before returning to winter habitat farther south. Only one species, the Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris, breeds east of the Mississippi River.

7 of the 15 hummers that breed in North America:
- Anna’s Hummingbird, Calypte anna, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Mar 2007
- Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilobus alexandri, by Paul Crook-USFWS, Jun 2024
- Blue-throated Hummingbird, Lampornis clemenciae, by Alan Schmierer-USFWS, Jun 2024
- Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Mar 2022
- Buff-bellied Hummingbird, Amazilia yucatanensis, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Jan 2010
- Broad-Tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus, by Tom Koerner-USFWS, Feb 2024
- Allen’s Hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin, by Wendy Miller-USFWS, Jun 2024

Hummingbirds have a very high metabolism with a normal heart rate of 250 beats per minute that accelerates to almost 1250 beats per minute when in flight. They consume large amounts of nectar each day to get enough sugar to support their energy requirements. Several small grooves running the length of their tongue funnel nectar into their throat by capillary action, a force that causes liquid to rise in a small tube without needing to use air to suck the liquid in. They also eat any small invertebrate to fulfill protein, vitamin, and mineral needs. Hummingbirds snatch insects mid-air while in flight, poach them from spider webs, and glean tiny moth caterpillars from new leaves and branch tips. Another foraging method uses the blast of air beneath their powerful wings to roll over leaves on the forest floor, revealing the insect life below.

^{Anna’s hummingbird catching insects by Stan Lupo, Jul 2023}

Hummingbirds do not bond with a mate. Females establish a territory that optimizes the available nectar and offers multiple nest sites. Males establish a territory based on encountering as many females as possible. Both will defend their areas from other hummingbirds, as well as other nectar feeders including butterflies and bees. Daily feeding starts on the outer edge of their territory to chase out any overnight interlopers and ends with nectar sources deep inside the area’s interior. Males will breed with as many females as possible. Females may have more than one brood of eggs each year, either concurrently or one brood following another.

Nests are about 2″ in diameter, built of small twigs, lined with soft plant material, and covered on the outside with greenish-gray lichens. Nests are bound to branches with spider silk, usually in a forest clearing. The lichens provide camouflage by making the nest appear as a large knot when seen from below. Females reach breeding age at the end of their first year, and can breed throughout their lifetimes. They construct one or more nests, each containing two white eggs, the size of peas, which are incubated by only the female for 14 to 16 days. The male takes no part in raising the young birds, coming together with the female only during mating.

^{Allen’s Hummingbird nest, by Mike’s Birds, Mar 2013}

^{Ruby-throated hummingbird on nest with lichen, by Lorie Shaull, Jul 2020}

Hummingbirds found in the western portions of North America travel overland migration routes. However, midwestern and eastern birds fly non-stop over the Gulf Of Mexico. A hummingbird can increase its fat reserves and double its body weight in the 7 to 10 days prior to the overseas trip. Through studies using banded birds, we have learned that they fly alone, normally at night, along with large flocks of other birds. Young birds, making the trip for the first time, can successfully navigate the migration route with no prior training. Their guidance system, how it works, and how it is learned are all still a mystery.

No hummingbird species are listed as endangered. However, hybridization among species is common, and their small size and great speed make them very difficult to count and track. Little data is available about population size changes and movements; however, more birds have been found over-wintering as far north as the Gulf Coast states of North America.

At the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum, we have numerous bird specimens on display, including hummingbirds. We welcome you to come in and learn more about these amazing creatures.

Remaining 8 species that breed in North America:
Calliope Hummingbird, Selasphorus calliope, by Barbara Wheeler-USFWS, Nov 2021
Costa’s Hummingbird, Calypte costae, by Wendy Miller-USFWS, May 2020
Rivoli’s Hummingbird, Eugenes fulgens by Doug Greenberg-USFWS, Aug 2017
Lucifer Hummingbird, Calothorax lucifer, by Jim Gain-USFWS, Mar 2022
Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Archilobus colubris, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Jun 2024
Rufous Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus, USFWS, Jun 2024
Violet-crowned Hummingbird, Amazilia violiceps, by budgora, Mar 2014
White-eared Hummingbird, Basilinna leucotis, by Alan Scmierer-USFWS, Mar 2022

Rodents

Rodentia are the largest order of mammals in the world, encompassing over 40% of mammal species. A rodent is characterized by having two pairs of large front teeth, one pair in each of the upper and lower jaws. These are called incisors and are used for gnawing vegetation. They have no canine teeth, leaving a large gap between the four front teeth and their molars in the back of the mouth. Rodents can be found in all types of habitat everywhere in the world except Antarctica, New Zealand and a few oceanic islands.

Capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, use calls to warn others of danger and to find their young including purring, barking, cackling, whistling, whining, grunting, and chattering.

^{Capybara by Dick Culbert, Gibsons, B.C. Canada, May 2014}

The largest rodent is the capybara, Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris, growing up to 140 pounds. But a majority of species are small animals, under 4 ounces, with bulky bodies, short limbs, and long tails. Compared to their overall size, the body’s surface area is large and contributes to a greater loss of heat than larger animals. To combat this, rodents create more body heat by being constantly active. They consume large quantities of food to meet high energy needs. Many species are active year-round, coming out during early morning and late evening hours to feed. Animals living in habitats with extreme temperatures may hibernate to escape the cold or estivate to escape the heat. These species conserve energy by adjusting their body temperatures to within a few degrees of the air temperature and slow other bodily functions, requiring less food and more rest.

North American beaver, Castor canadensis, hone their upper teeth into efficient biting tools and defensive weaponry.

North American beaver, *Castor canadensis,* by Steve, Washington D.C., Jul 2008

Incisors grow constantly their entire lives. The front surface is protected by a hard enamel shell. The back surface of the upper pair is soft and easily wears away from the constant rubbing of the lower teeth as vegetation is bitten off and chewed. This creates a chisel like edge on the top teeth that is an excellent cutting surface. Teeth are used to gnaw vegetation, dig burrows, and for defense, if attacked. If an animal does not gnaw enough vegetation, the growth rate of the teeth becomes greater than what is being worn away and health problems can develop leading to the inability to eat. This most often occurs in captive animals who are not provided with sufficient quantities of harder vegetation.

Fox squirrels, Sciurus niger, scamper up tree trunks, along branches, and are able to leap to nearby trees, in addition to being fast on the ground and good swimmers.

^{Fox squirrel, Sciurus niger, by Karly Tuminello, Jul 2020}

Food is mainly seeds, leaves, fruit and small invertebrates or insects. A internal structure called a caecum contains bacteria that assists in breaking down plant material into digestible form. Several rodents have eyes that protrude in a half dome from their head allowing them to see both ahead and behind. This wide field of vision allows the animal to easily detect predators. Their daytime eyesight is poor, but they can detect ultra-violet light, allowing excellent vision during twilight hours when they are most often active. Most rodents live in large social groups, but forage individually, using a wide variety of alarm calls to keep others informed when danger is near.

Naked mole-rats, Heterocephalus glaber, have strong jaws that use one-quarter of all the muscle tissue in their body.

^{Naked mole-rats, Heterocephalus glaber, by Roman Klementschitz, Wien, Dec 2003}

Humans often consider rodent species to be harmful pests. While they may carry bacteria and cause nuisance problems, they are also beneficial by eating weed seeds and insects, keeping populations of many pest species in check. Rodents are widely used in human culture as food, clothing, pets, and laboratory animals for research. Visit a museum or nature center to learn about the many fun facts of each family in this amazing group of animals.

Kangaroo rats, Dipodomys sp, hop to move around but can jump 6 to 9 feet, and they get all their water from the seeds they eat.

^{Kangaroo rat, Dipodomys, by U.S. Fish & Wildlife, Sep 2005}

Dinosaurs At The Museum

Dinosaurs roamed North America millions of years ago, and while they are no longer part of the wildlife, we are able to see, study, and learn from them at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum (JSNM). Bones, skulls, teeth, and stomach contents unearthed at various sites are housed in numerous worldwide institutions.

^{Triceratops at JSNM by DonArnold, Oct 2023}

Triceratops was a common visitor to areas of western North America in the late Cretaceous period, from 68 to 66 million years ago. The name is Greek meaning “three-horned face.” The animal’s distinctive skull has two long horns located above the brow line of each eye, and one shorter horn off the tip of the nose. The brow horns, situated high on the head, may have exceeded three feet in length on the largest animals. A frill, or bony structure surrounding the back of the head, makes the head seem larger than the skull alone. In Triceratops, the frill could exceed seven feet from side to side.

Triceratops were large animals standing 10 feet tall with a length, from nose to tail, of about 30 feet. Their teeth were long and intimidating, but these animals were actually vegetarians. The teeth were used to shear through fibrous plant material that was difficult to cut and chew. The horns were very strong. They were used for defense against predators and when dueling for territory with other Triceratops individuals.

^{Tyrannosaurus rex half skull at JSNM by DonArnold, Oct 2023}

Tyrannosaurus rex, Greek for “king of the tyrant lizards,” is another species from the western United States. These animals moved swiftly on two huge rear legs. The body weight was balanced over these legs by a long, heavy tail and a massive skull. A full grown adult was estimated to be 13 feet tall, 41 feet in length, and weighed about 10 tons.

The skull cast at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum has several openings, thought to reduce the mass of the bony structure. It is very wide at the back, tapering to a narrow nose in front. The eyes are situated to provide excellent binocular vision, allowing the animal to accurately judge size and distance while running at a good pace. This was helpful for trapping prey and avoiding attackers.

^{Artistic rendering of Edmontosaurus by DariuszSankowski, Pixabay}

^{Edmontosaurus femur at JSNM by DonArnold, Oct 2023}

Several other fossils found in North America are on display at the museum. One is a femur from an Edmontosaurus, a genus of hadrosaurid or duck-billed dinosaur that lived alongside Triceratops in the western U.S. This dinosaur was a plant eater that could move on either two feet or all four feet. It is one of the best-studied species in the world due to the large numbers of bones that have been found. The skull held several hundred teeth, although only a few were in use at any given time. The rest were ready replacements for teeth that broke or wore down from the abrasive plant material in its diet.

^{images clockwise: Diplomystus analis; Diplomystus dentatus; Icthyosaur Stenopterygius Quadriscisius; Knightia alta; Mioplosus; Notogonius Oscuius; Perca obtusa; Phareodus testis; Priscacara liops; Pterosaur Phyllurus Ramphrhynicus; all images by DonArnold, Oct 2023, JSNM}

Other fossils available to view at the Jurica-Suchy Nature Museum include several fish species from the Cretaceous period that can be seen in the gallery above. Come on out to the museum to see these fascinating specimens and learn more, or take a trip to visit a natural history museum near you.

A Big, Cool One

Elephants are the largest land mammals and they live in a variety of habitats in tropical and subtropical regions. Their native habitat is often savanna, grassland or forest although they can also be found in desert, swamp, and highlands. These areas get twelve hours of sunlight each day, with warm, daily temperatures averaging from the lower 70s to above 100˚F for animals living in the desert. Heat and gravity are two natural factors that affect all large animals, and elephants have some unique methods and body design to compensate for both.

^{Walking in Kruger National Park by Simone Eman, simoneemanphotos}

Elephants have a massive skeleton with solid bones in their feet, legs, hips, and ribs that provide excellent support for all of their weight. Lots of muscles, both large and small, allow easy movement while still protecting their vital organs. But not all of the bones are solid. The skull is honeycombed throughout, so it is light enough that the neck can support the head and allow for many small and precise movements of the trunk, the ears, and the tusks. The brain is small for an animal of this size, but elephants are quick learners, have an excellent memory, and are one of the smartest animals.

^{Elephant’s foot by sboofek, Getty Images}

^{Elephants foot tread by skynavin, Getty Images}

While small animals, such as ants, can hang on to a vertical surface, elephants require a solid set of legs to stand and walk on. They actually stand on the tips of their toes, located along the front edge of the foot. The center and back of the foot is one large pad behind and under the toes that cushions each step and helps to carry their weight. The large, round flat of the foot spreads the weight evenly over a larger area, and their soles have treads to provide traction on slippery or uneven surfaces.

^{Elephant ears by Harvey Sapir, Pexels}

Heat from the sun, and from the exertion of the muscles performing under the tremendous weight of the body, must be dissipated efficiently. This task is handled by the elephant’s ears, which are very large and very thin. Hundreds of blood vessels run through each ear close to the skin to radiate heat away from the body. The blood, now cooled, can be circulated throughout the body. Skin over the rest of the body is thicker, but there is little to no fat underneath, nor is there any fur or hair covering the outside to trap heat. The skin also has many wrinkles creating much more surface area than smooth skin, allowing more heat to be lost to cooler air and water.

^{Celery anyone…by eugen_z, Getty Images}

An elephant’s trunk is a nose-arm-hand all wrapped into one. They can pick up large and heavy objects as well as being able to manipulate the sensitive tip to grab tiny and delicate objects. To help control the heat, they often will suck in a trunkful of water and using the end of the trunk like a shower head, spray all of the water across their body to wet down and cool off. Similarly, they can snuffle up a load of dust to spray across dry or wet skin to create a coating to help keep away biting insects and provide protection from the sun.

Elephants are built to move easily and efficiently in their environment, and they have several methods and adaptations to deal with their size and the heat. Next week we will discover more about family life and the lands they live in.

The Elephant Trunk

An elephant’s trunk is an amazing body part. It is a 300 pound nose-arm-hand about seven feet long. It contains 50,000 muscles, but no bones or cartilage, making it strong and flexible. A vast array of nerves controls it. Elephants use their trunks for a variety of tasks including:
• smelling an approaching rainstorm from 150 miles away
• locating food by smell including grass, branches, and fruit
• lifting objects up to 400 pounds
• reaching food 20 feet off the ground
• using it as a snorkel when swimming underwater
• using the top and bottom lip to pick up a single seed off the ground
• sucking up to 2.5 gallons of water and squirting it into their mouths
• sucking up water to squirt over their backs to cool off
• curling it around large quantities of food to place in their mouths
• controlling the shape and size of the nostril to modulate sounds
• snorting dirt to spray over their backs
• picking up and throwing objects in defense
• entwining with another’s trunk for a friendly hug