How do elephants' physical features support their size?

Elephants are huge, yet they move and stay cool with smart body design. Key helpers include a special skeleton, padded feet, thick skin, and big heat-shedding ears.

Skeletal structure

• High mass share: The skeleton is about 15–20% of body weight, higher than most mammals.
• Pillar legs: Long leg bones stand almost vertical under the body like columns. This sends weight straight to the ground and lets elephants stand for long periods with little effort.
• Solid long bones: Most mammals have hollow long bones with marrow. Elephants instead have dense, spongy, perforated bone that resists huge pressure.
• Light yet strong skull: Honeycomb air spaces reduce skull weight while still supporting heavy tusks and strong jaw muscles.

Feet

• Built-in shock absorbers: Each foot spreads and softens impact to carry massive weight.
• Elastic heel pads: A large fibrous, fatty cushion under the heel spreads pressure so elephants can move quietly and stay stable on uneven or soft ground.
• Tiptoe gait: They walk on their toes with the pad behind the toes bearing weight, which spreads load efficiently.
• Mud release: When lifting a foot from mud, the pad contracts, the foot narrows, suction drops, and the foot comes free more easily.

Skin and ears

• Overheating risk managed: A low surface-area to volume ratio makes heat loss harder, so cooling features matter.
• Thick, wrinkled skin: Up to about 2.5 cm in places. Wrinkles increase surface area, hold moisture, and slow evaporation. This is especially useful for African savanna elephants in hot climates.
• Highly vascular ears: Large, thin ears contain many blood vessels. Flapping moves air over them, cools the blood, then that cooler blood lowers body temperature.
• Water and mud coats: Regular dusting and mud baths shield from sun and insects and add moisture that cools as it evaporates.