Loxodonta africana

Posted 6 May 2013 by

Photograph by Paul Ruggeri. Photography contest, Honorable Mention.
Loxodonta africana -- African elephant. Mud dries on the back of the elephant. The mud in the furrows between the folds remains moist, helping the elephant to keep cool in the heat. The dried mud on the folds helps protect against sunburn.

1 Comment

Paul Burnett · 8 May 2013

Are the furrows / folds (1) unique to individuals and (2) do they change over time? Would they be as good as fingerprints for identification?