LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Elephant: Trunks
built 663 days ago
Although the fossil evidence is uncertain, scientists discovered genetic evidence that the elephant family shares distant ancestry with the Sirenians (sea cows) and the hyraxes through gene comparisons. In the distant past, members of the hyrax family grew to large sizes, and it seems likely that the common ancestor of all three modern families was some kind of amphibious hyracoid. One theory suggests that these animals spent most of their time under water, using their trunks like snorkels for breathing. Modern elephants have retained this ability and are known to swim in that manner for up to 6 hours and 50 km.
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Families will have a great photo opportunity when they stand next to the 13-foot tall elephant sculpture that greets them as they enter Elephant Encounter. This work of art, which looks like a soapstone carving of an elephant, plays music and can even use its trunk to “spray” guests. Around the sculpture are special elephant footprints. The trail of footprints are set to trigger various elephant sounds when guests step on the footprints.
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As a young elephant grows, it learns how to become independent by watching and mimicking others. A calf will begin to experiment with its trunk, using it to grasp grass and other solid food, at about four months of age. But it takes a lot of practice to master the more than 40,000 muscles that give an elephant's long snout so much dexterity.
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An elephant ... relies on its trunk for its highly developed sense of smell. Raising the trunk up in the air and swivelling it from side to side, like a periscope, it can determine the location of friends, enemies, and food sources.
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