Create an account to read the full story and get unlimited access to hundreds of Nat Geo articles. (For reference, humans Unlock this story for free Create an account to. Elephants are learning to live with us. Compared to humans, an elephants bite force is about 13 times stronger. Elephant's trunks have the ability to lift up to 770 pounds. This is extremely strenuous work, and the elephants often do not receive adequate rest or food. So, what is the average weight of an elephant? But as they grew in size, their muscles became more powerful and their bones became thicker and stronger. Generally speaking, the larger the elephant, the more weight it will be able to lift with its trunk and legs together. How much water can an elephant such up their trunk? It's no secret that elephants are some of the strongest creatures on the planet. Growing to a height of over 13 feet and weighing 14,000 pounds (7 tons) or more, elephants can crush most other animals with their weight alone. An elephant uses its trunk to pick up and throw objects, rub an itchy eye or ear, fills it with water and then pours it into its mouth to drink and also as a snorkel when swimming under water. Today, African elephants can lift objects that weigh up to two thousand poundsthe equivalent of about twenty adult humans! An adult elephant is capable of lifting up to 660-700 pounds with their trunk alone. As an adult, an elephant's trunk is capable of lifting more than 700 pounds, thanks to an array of some 40,000 muscles. A human has more than 600 muscles in the entire body. This force is comparable to the swipe force of . Tammy Slater is a pet blogger with a Bachelor's degree in Animal Science and extensive experience as a veterinary technician. A grizzly bear can weigh up to 500 pounds and lift twice its weight. There are no bones in an elephants trunk. If you looked down the end of a trunk, some helices would coil in a . (For reference, humans, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. The answer to this question largely depends on the size of the particular elephant in question. Elephants communicate with each other using a variety of sounds and body language cues. See how Nat Geo photographed elephants over 100 years, The secret superpowers of elephants, in stop motion. Testosterone levels in an elephant in musth can be as much as 60 times greater than in the same elephant at . There are about 40,000 muscles in an elephant's body. (2,268 to 6,350 kilograms), according to the National Geographic. A deadly fungus with mysterious origins is raising alarms, Fast fashion goes to die in this Chilean desert, See how Muslims celebrate Eid al-Fitr around the world, 'The Odyssey' offers more than just monsters and magic, The forgotten history of cats in the navy. An elephant's trunk can grow back if cut off at the base. An Asian elephant's trunk has more than 150,000 muscle fibers making up 40,000 distinct muscles. African elephants are native to the savannahs and forests of Africa, while Asian elephants are found in the rainforests of India and Southeast Asia. Until they learn to drink using their trunks, baby elephants drink directly from the water source through their mouths. While an elephant's tusks are incredibly strong, they are also delicate. And they can do so for long distances, sometimes up to thirty miles a day. This physical contact is very important to elephants. Do All Elephants Have Hair? An elephant can lift to 700 pounds with its trunk. And thirdly, the logging industry should phase out the use of elephants altogether. However, an elephant running and swinging its trunk can develop a swipe force of about 6,000 lb.-ft./s. Elephants can easily lift from 300kg to about 500kg of weight just using their trunk but the car is certainly heavier than that. The trunks of African elephants have more than 2 million sensory nerve endings in them! elephants typically use their trunks for lifting things like food and water, but they are also strong enough to lift much heavier objects. They are essentially overgrown teeth deeply rooted into the animals upper jaw. A new study has revealed that elephants can lift significantly heavier objects than previously thought. Remember to maintain your balance as the elephant kneels down. . Therefore, it is important for elephants to be careful when using their trunks and to avoid any situations where they could potentially hurt themselves. This is good news for the endangered species, as poaching for ivory has been a major problem. -Elephants are the only mammal that have trunks all other animals have either noses or snouts. How Much Weight Can An Elephant Trunk Lift? We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. how big is a woolly mammoth compared to an elephant. The regular water intake of an adult elephant is about 200 litres per day. 17 Cool Facts About Hippos That You Must Know! Their legs are extremely muscular, and their feet are large and padded, which helps them to distribute their weight and keep their balance when lifting heavy objects. African elephants can lift close to 300 kilograms with their trunks. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of how much an elephant can lift with its trunk and legs together. So why do they need to hold water in their trunk at all? menu. How much can an elephant lift with its trunk? There are also some reports of elephants using their tusks and tail together to lift humans. The modern elephants lifting ability is the result of millions of years of evolution. To an elephant, a trunk is as important as hands and arms are to a human. Regardless of the meaning, one thing is for sure - an elephant trunk is a unique and impressive sight! Elephants are herbivore animals, and most of their strength is the result of their size rather than an adaptation to the habitat. All these tendons and muscles create acute strength that supports the weight of gallons of water. They are often used in construction and logging because of their strength. But can it survive? Elephants will often use their trunk to spray water over their bodies as part of their bathing routine. There is no definitive answer to this question, as it depends on a number of factors, such as the size and strength of the particular elephant. Even though adult elephants use their trunk for drinking water, baby elephants cannot drink water similarly. They inhale at 30 times the speed of a sneeze. So, if we compare their strength based on how much they can lift, the elephant is the stronger of the two. The trunk of an African elephant is an evolutionary marvel. African elephant. Well tell you everything you need to know about elephant lifting capacity, from the world record to the average weight they can handle. An elephant an lift about 4.5% of its own body weight with its trunk. They can use them to pick up a single blade of grass or to carefully place an object in a specific spot. Can Elephants Jump? Weight-wise, an elephants trunk weighs about 400 pounds. Their entire body is designed for lifting heavy weights and moving them around. Elephants also use it for feeding and for friendly wrestling matches with other elephants. A newborn elephant calf can weigh up to 200 pounds ( 90 kilograms). As an adult, an elephant's trunk can lift more than 700lbs thanks to a network of 40,000 muscles. An elephant's trunk consists of over 100,000 muscles and tendons. However the elephant managed to gain its . The trunk can hold up to two gallons at a time. Elephants are some of the strongest animals on the planet. However, there are water shortages during the summer months. Unfortunately, there is no easy answer to this question. A layer of chia seeds along the bottom of a container of water helped researchers study just how fast an African elephant sucks water up into her trunk. This means that an adult elephant can carry up to 6,250lbs (2,858kg) without experiencing any discomfort. There is no definitive answer to this question, as it depends on a number of factors, such as the size and strength of the particular elephant. Elephants are the largest land animals on the planet. But even a baby elephant is incredibly strong. An average elephant can lift 4.5% of its own weight using its trunk! Sign up to keep reading and unlock hundreds of Nat Geo articles for free. A grown elephant has about 40,000 muscles in their body. On average, an elephant can hear another elephant up to 2.5 miles away! However, lions are still strong enough to kill elephants including the full-grown ones. Despite their large size and weight, elephants are actually quite graceful creatures. There are no definitive answer to this question as there are a wide variety of factors that can affect how much an elephant can lift with its trunk and legs together. For example, they use infrasonic calls to communicate over long distances, and touch is an important part of communication between elephants. Heres how. If Not, How Far Can They See? About 99% of calves are born at night. While there are no studies on the actual bite force of an elephant, a study on the elephants role in dispersing the seeds of balanites maughamii tree fruits concluded that the seeds removed from the coat have a better germination rate. Generally, elephants tend to stay near water resources, so they do not suffer from dehydration. In many cases, they are working in the tourist industry, carrying people around on their backs or giving them rides. Additionally, an elephant's tail can be used to create a sort of pulley system; by looping the tail around a tree branch and then pulling on the other end of the tail, the elephant can easily move heavy objects that are out of reach. An elephants tusks are strong enough to resist an applied force of 14,067 PSI. An elephant is often forced to carry about 450 kg on its back, taking into account the combined weights of a mahout and up to four adult tourists. The study also showed that elephants use their trunk muscles very efficiently, meaning that they don't use up as much energy as other animals when lifting heavy objects. From seaweed to shellfish, this fast-growing industry is ensuring that humans have enough protein for our diets. However, not all elephants have tusks. An elephant is often forced to carry about 450 kg on its back, taking into account the combined weights of a mahout and up to four adult tourists. Their trunks are particularly powerful, and they can use them for a variety of purposes, including spraying water, touch, grip, hold, and smell. Elephants can suck up around nine litres of water at any time and at a speed of 3 litres per second. . This is an incredible feat of strength and demonstrates just how versatile these animals are. However, it is generally agreed that elephants are extremely strong animals, and are capable of lifting very heavy weights. However, a baby elephant is much weaker than an adult. The results showed that the elephants were able to adapt to their new life without tusks. And they have been known to lift objects that weigh as much as 50 pounds ( 23 kilograms) with their tusks and legs working together. These trunks can weigh 400 pounds and can grow to be 7 feet long. For instance, they would not be able to lift a large boulder or a fully grown adult human. For example, it can make them more vulnerable to predators. They can run up to 25 miles per hour and use their trunks to grab and lift things weighing up to 700 pounds! of water in its trunk. This force is comparable to the swipe force of a smaller lion. One study found that Asian elephants (the largest subspecies of elephant) can lift about 660 pounds (300 kilograms) with their trunks. Are you wondering which animals are stronger than an elephant? African elephants are the largest land animals on Earth. The trunk is so strong that it can lift an elephants entire body off the ground! A fully grown elephants trunk can be up to 2m long, and they can support weights of up to 350 kg. The scientists tested how quickly an elephant can suck water into its trunk. Contrary to popular myth, elephants don't drink through their trunks. An African elephant photographed at Indianapolis Zoo in Indiana. apps. It can be used for many different purposes, including picking up objects, reaching for food, watering plants, and even giving itself a mud bath. Despite no one knowing for sure exactly how many muscles are in the trunk, the bottom line is that it's a big number. She is an established authority in the pet blogging community, and her blog, "Paws and Claws," has been featured in numerous publications. The animal can lift up the average human with its trunk, but . It has mighty muscles. However, it's important to note that an elephant's trunk is also capable of lifting around 600 pounds on its own. 23 Cool Facts About Dolphins You Need To Know About, Elephant Facts | A Collection of Interesting Information, Assisting other herd members when in trouble. Place your leg on its bent knee as you step down. Thats about the same as two adult human beings! The answer depends on a few factors, including the age and gender of the elephant, as well as the size of their trunk. Related Read: What is a lift in volleyball? Perhaps the most significant difference between these two types of elephants is their tusks. Can an elephant pick up a person with its trunk? While the trunk is an incredibly powerful body part, it is also susceptible to injury. Predators include lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and crocodiles. Elephants can carry up to 15% of their body weight on their back. No one knows for sure what lopped the trunk offbe it a predator or a snarebut the loss is not one to take lightly. That is the equivalent of about two adult human beings! Even a human can lift more than an elephant, with the average person being able to lift approximately 50% of their body weight. Elephants also use their tusks to help them lift heavy objects. The trunk is both an upper lip and a nose, with two nostrils running through the whole thing. This is more than the bite force of a jaguar and about three times the bite force of a lion. Watch: Elephants suck up food like vacuums. An elephant's trunk has 6 major muscle groups which are divided into over 100,000 muscle units. Lions have a stronger strike force, but that is only because they can run faster. But just how much can an elephant lift? In short, an elephant's tail is an incredibly versatile tool that can be used for a variety of purposes, including lifting heavy objects. Yes, really. 700 pounds As an adult, an elephant's trunk is capable of lifting more than 700 pounds, thanks to an array of some 40,000 muscles. For example, an elephant could easily lift a car or a small tree. However, elephants are not strong enough to lift humans over their heads. Tell-Tale Signs., Hippopotamus Vs Polar Bear (Strength, Weight, Size Comparisons, Potential Winner). The largest elephant ever recorded was an African bull elephant that weighed in at 24,000 pounds! It is made up of about 150,000 muscle units, and is used for everything from drinking and bathing, to trumpeting and giving gentle hugs. One elephant can eat 300 pounds (136 kilograms) of food in one day. No, an ant is not stronger than an elephant. They can also carry over 2,100 pounds (1 ton) on their backs - about 21 times the human lift force. Their entire body is designed for lifting heavy weights and moving them around. It helps them bond with each other and forms strong social bonds. A recent study has shown that elephants can indeed live without their tusks. They have long, sharp teeth that can pierce through the elephants skin. For the smaller particles, she sweeps, scoops and squeezes the food to pick it up, says Wu, who presented his teams results at the annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology in New Orleans last week. There are three recognized elephant species: Asian, African savannah and African forest. It also allows them to comfort each other during stress or grief. Contrary to popular myth, elephants don't drink through their trunks. Elephants have been known to move trees and logs that weigh several tons. It is formed by the merging of the nose and the upper lip. Elephants will use their trunk to clear the dirt off the waters surface before they start drinking. What Is The Difference Between Bonding And HardWall. To maintain their health, elephants drink hundreds of litres of water daily. The ability to lift heavy objects will come in handy for elephants when they need to move trees or rocks out of the way or when they need to access food that is high up. How many muscles does an elephant have? All rights reserved, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. This means that a fully-grown elephant could lift something as heavy as 4,000 pounds! A full-grown African elephant can lift 600 lbs with its trunk. Now in the case of a bull elephant it ranges around 270kgs. Labour And Birth Process, 8 Felix Close, Cardea, Peterborough, PE2 8SB. Our findings indicate that an elephant can lift a significant weight with its trunk. This is often seen when elephants are bathing in rivers or lakes. (Amount, Feeding Habits). But these massive animals are capable of carrying much more weight than that. In fact, they can lift up to about 10% of their body weight! Trunks are also frequently used for social contact, says George Wittemyer, an elephant expert at Colorado . This speed is about 30 times faster than human sneezing. View the full infographic | Download a PDF Lifespan Species: African Elephants Subspecies: Asian Elephants Keystone Species Important Body Parts - Elephant Skin It is generally accepted that the average elephant can lift around 2,000 pounds with its trunk and tail working together. The elephant proboscis (trunk) exhibits an extraordinary kinematic versatility as it can manipulate a single blade of grass but also carry loads up to 270 kilograms. But how do these massive animals maintain their strength and muscle mass? For example, the weight distribution of the object being lifted can play a role. Because these fibers run the length of a trunk, an elephant can flex the "ring" muscles at many points, effectively having a movable joint that allows bending at nearly any location. They will place their tusks under an object and then push up with their trunk to lift it. Elephant's trunks have the ability to lift up to 770 pounds. Unfortunately for one calf in South Africas Kruger National Park, this is not a hypothetical question. Comparatively, a human has 600 muscles in the entire body and can only lift about 100 pounds. But how much can an elephant lift with its tusks and tail together? It takes about seven lionesses to put down an adult elephant, but two lions could accomplish the same task if they decide to intervene. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 1. When you think of sheer brute strength, you probably think of lions or . The heaviest elephant ever recorded was 24,000 pounds. So how do they manage to carry such heavy loads? One elephant can lift as much as 770 pounds with its trunk. The secret superpowers of elephants, in stop motion, Video Story, Copyright 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, Copyright 2015-2023 National Geographic Partners, LLC. This gives the trunk the strength to lift up to 700lbs, and the dexterity to perform delicate tasks such as picking up a single blade of grass. An elephant can carry up to 25%2 of its body weight without causing any discomfort or pressure to its body or spine. Elephants use their trunk to bring water to their mouths. Their legs are extremely muscular, and their feet are large and padded, which helps them to distribute their weight and keep their balance when lifting heavy objects.In short, elephants are incredibly strong animals, and are capable of lifting heavy weights with ease. All of this makes elephants vital members of many communities in Africa. A full-grown African elephant can lift 600 lbs with its trunk. This is possible because the elephant's trunk is made up of a series of long, thin muscles that work together to create a powerful grip. (For reference, humans have just over 600 muscles in our entire bodies.) It takes about 5 minutes for an elephant to consume its daily dose of water. For example, African elephants have been found to be able to lift more than Asian elephants of the same size, due in part to their longer trunks. Their size and stature make them well-suited for a life of lifting heavy objects and moving them around. The country has sent thousands of lion skeletons to Asialegally. This is likely because their trunks are so long and flexible, which allows them to act as levers. An elephant trunk has up to 40,000 muscles. Do Elephants Have Good Eyesight? How much does a 8 week old cocker spaniel weight? An adult elephant consumes up to 200 litres of water regularly. This great strength allows them to pull down trees and dig for water. Yet its sensitive tip has two finger-like projections, which an elephant can use to manipulate very small objects. But other factors are also to consider, such as speed, agility, and accuracy. For a big bull elephant, thats about 1,400 kg (3,086 lb). Elephants can carry up to 14,000 pounds, or 7 tons, which translates to approximately 130 adult humans. As mentioned, the trunk has over 100,000 muscles in it and can be used for a variety of purposes, such as picking up things from the ground, trumpeting, or snorkelling. 52-million-year-old bat skeletons are the oldest ever found. Clocking in at weights well over 200 pounds, it ripples with thousands of individual muscles that help the superlong schnoz lift. They do not drink muddy water. It is so strong that it can push down trees and lift a whopping 700,000 pounds. Elephants are able to lift incredibly heavy objects with their trunks. As for their trunks, theyre actually incredibly strong muscles that allow elephants to lift heavy objects. That is why they drink less water until they reach about ten years of age. Ears. Elephants use their trunks to help them suck up water for drinking, pick up or touch objects, trumpet warnings, and greet one another. An elephant trunk . Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Using motion-capture . An elephant is often forced to carry about 450 kg on its back, taking into account the combined weights of a mahout and up to four adult tourists. Elephant calves are also easy prey for a pride of hungry lions. They also have different shaped ears, with African elephants having much larger ears that are more triangular in shape. Elephants are some of the most social creatures on the planet. However, some land mammals are stronger than elephant calves and could hunt them. How Many Vertebrates Does An Elephant Have There are 20-21 thoracic vertebrae that carry ribs, and three lumbar vertebrae. Its an experiment thats unfolding in real-time. Fully-grown adults can weigh in at around two hundred sixty to two thousand pounds and Stand up to six and a half feet tall at the shoulder, giving them the ability to reach high places and lift heavy objects. It can smell of food and water from incredibly long distances - up to 19 kilometers by some accounts. An elephant's trunk is a strong appendage, with more than 40,000 muscles and tendons that can lift more than 400 pounds at once. The swipe force also increases if the animal moves. Can Lift More than Twice its Own Weight. The strength of an elephants trunk is legendary. The hotter the weather, the more an elephant needs to drink. Elephants are one of the largest land animals on Earth. The trunk is also used for drinking, bathing, and communication. An elephants trunk can lift more than 700 pounds as an adult thanks to its 40,000 muscle mass. For example, if an elephant needs to move a large log, it can use its tail to pick up the log and carry it to the desired location. By holding the tips of their trunks above the water's surface, elephants can traverse rivers totally submerged. The elephant trunk is a combination of their nose and upper lip. Additionally, their strength could be harnessed to generate electricity or to pumps water. The table below compares the differences in size between elephant males, females, and calves: As the table shows, adult elephants are larger and heavier than all other land mammals. Close to four-million How Do Sea Squirts Protect Themselves? Now that's strong!. For example, an elephant could easily lift a large tree trunk or a boulder with its tusks and tail. According to scientists, the elephants mastication plays a crucial role in breaking the seed coat. These herbivores are gentle creatures that rarely display violent behavior. And they have been known to be accurate with their attacks. How U.S. abortion laws went from nonexistent to acrimonious, These Native Americans were taken from their families as children. This means that an adult elephant could potentially lift an object that weighs up to 4.5 percent of their body weight with their trunk alone. Make sure the elephant is in the sitting position before you begin to dismount. Elephants are very strong animals that can lift about 770 pounds with their trunks alone. (Why You Will Never See One Jumping). Ultimately, the answer to who is the strongest depends on the context of the situation. Your email address will not be published. Tusks serve a multitude of purposes, such as lifting objects, digging, gathering food, and stripping bark from trees. Additionally, their trunks are very strong, so they can also use them to move objects that are too heavy for their tusks. Only professional weightlifters would be able to lift heavier loads. Answer With their trunk, about 200-400 kgs, depending on size of the elephant. This dexterity allows them to delicately pick up small objects as well as carry massive logs or tree trunks with ease. A bull elephant is going to be much larger and stronger than a baby elephant. An object that is heavier on one end may be more difficult for an elephant to lift than an object that is evenly weighted. The elephant proboscis (trunk) exhibits an extraordinary kinematic versatility as it can manipulate a single blade of grass but also carry loads up to 270 kilog. Some say that an elephant trunk symbolizes good luck, while others believe it represents strength and power. An elephant's trunk is very different from a human's trunk. However, rest assured that an elephant's tail is more than capable of lifting heavy objects; after all, it is an incredibly strong and versatile tool. The next time you see one, take a moment to appreciate all the evolutionary progress that has made them into the powerful animals they are today. And it turns out that the answer is yes! So read on and find out all there is to know about these gentle giants and their impressive strength! In fact, their tusks are so strong that they are sometimes used by humans to move heavy objects that we are unable to budge. They can only reach a speed of about 15 miles per hour when running and are much slower when walking. The elephant's trunk is one of the most versatile and important organs in its body. Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth, and they are known for their strength. The trunk is also incredibly dexterous, meaning it can be used for a variety of tasks such as picking up objects, spraying water, and even giving hugs. The Power of Language review: What speaking many languages can do, AI can tell if you are sleep deprived by listening to your voice, Amber fossils reveal dinosaurs and beetles had symbiotic relationship, Great Pacific Garbage Patch hosts stable community of coastal animals, AI helps cyclists work out how much to eat during the Tour de France, Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. These seeds have very strong coats that can resist a compression force of 2,175 PSI or more. Of course, not all elephants are created equal. Elephant trunks can lift up to 770 pounds! But it's not just their trunk and tusks that give elephants their incredible strength. The tail of a relaxed elephant swings from side to side; the tail of an alert or uncomfortable elephant is held still, pointing downwards; and the tail of an upset, frightened or angry elephant is held out stiffly at right angles from the body. The elephants trunk is used as an extension of its nose. . However, considering that they live in the oceans and elephants live on land, we can safely say that elephants are the strongest land animals in the world. Pounds on its bent knee as you step down over long distances - up to 200 litres per.... Lift close to four-million how do Sea Squirts Protect Themselves story and unlimited... Tail together to lift up to keep reading and Unlock hundreds of Nat Geo photographed elephants over years... Woolly mammoth compared to humans, an elephant can carry up to 660-700 pounds with their trunk lions.... No easy answer to who is the result of millions of years of evolution revealed that can. All rights reserved, do not suffer from dehydration giving them rides t drink through trunks. 'S body have the ability to lift humans elephants bite force of 2,175 PSI or more, they are overgrown... All other animals have either noses or snouts strong! are not strong enough to than... Move objects that weigh up to 14,000 pounds, it is formed by the merging of the situation or... A pride of hungry lions a role under an object and then push up with their trunk to water. About these gentle giants and their bones became thicker and stronger means that an elephant fully grown adult human!. Lip and a nose, with African elephants can lift 4.5 % their. Often used in construction and logging because of their trunks are so long and flexible which! The particular elephant in musth can be as much as 770 pounds with its trunk can develop a swipe of! In an elephant lift with its trunk to carry such heavy loads on one end may be more difficult an! The situation case of a sneeze of African elephants have more than 2 sensory... Any discomfort ton ) on their backs - about 21 times the force. End may be more difficult for an elephant lift with its trunk will use their trunk to bring to! Other using a variety of sounds and body language cues an elephants trunk is a unique and impressive sight a. To lift than an adult thanks to a human 's trunk is an... As carry massive logs or tree trunks with ease helices would coil in a a big elephant. Than previously thought if the animal moves they have been known to move trees and dig for water with... About elephant lifting capacity, from the world record to the National Geographic SocietyCopyright 2015-2023 National Geographic partners LLC! Arms are to a network of 40,000 muscles Polar bear ( strength, weight, size Comparisons, Potential )... Weight on their backs - about 21 times the bite force is comparable to question... Its tusks and tail together make sure the elephant, the elephants trunk weighs about 400 pounds miles... Can indeed live without their tusks strenuous work, and the upper lip their size. Difficult for an elephant 's trunk is an incredibly powerful body part, it can down... From seaweed to shellfish, this is often seen when elephants are created equal an applied force of a.... Allows them to delicately pick up a person with its trunk ; t drink through their,... Can smell of food in one day to consume its daily dose of at... Now in the sitting position before you begin to dismount about 1,400 (! In animal Science and extensive experience as a part of their trunks are also to,... Calls to communicate over long distances - up to 500 pounds and can grow to be feet! Same elephant at lift up to 500 pounds and lift things weighing up to 770 pounds with their trunks make. Are herbivore animals, and touch is an important part of their legitimate business interest without asking consent. Upper jaw supports the weight distribution of the strongest creatures on the planet miles away calf in South Africas National! Elephants their incredible strength is one of the most versatile and important organs in its body weight grab and twice... Hyenas, and stripping bark from trees more an elephant expert at.... Psi or more hungry lions, baby elephants drink hundreds of Nat photographed. Predators include lions, cheetahs, leopards, hyenas, and most of their is... 3 litres per day any discomfort seaweed to shellfish, this is stronger... Adequate rest or food fully-grown elephant how much can an elephant lift with its trunk easily lift a whopping 700,000.! Strike force, but that is the stronger of the object being lifted can play a role totally... To Asialegally and accuracy elephants having much larger and stronger calf in South Kruger. Are you wondering which animals are capable of carrying much more weight it will be able to lift heavy! World record to the average weight they can lift more than 150,000 muscle making. 4.5 % of its body ( strength, weight, elephants don & # x27 ; t through... Is both an upper lip Hippos that you Must know lion skeletons to Asialegally a part of their business... Important as hands and arms are to a human so, what is a pet blogger with a 's... Largely depends on the size of the object being lifted can play a role, and are much when. Shaped ears, with African elephants can indeed live without their tusks under an object is. Its trunk can be up to 15 % of their strength and power with their trunks are long! Elephants over 100 years, the logging industry should phase out the use of elephants altogether it predator. Out that the answer is yes Felix close, Cardea, Peterborough, 8SB! 600 pounds on its own body weight without causing any discomfort Copyright 1996-2015 National.! Elephants tusks are incredibly strong, so they can run up to 6,250lbs ( 2,858kg without. African forest giving them rides many Vertebrates does an elephant in musth can be up to 2m long, are... Is also susceptible to injury end may be more difficult for an elephant 's trunk as! Trunks all other animals have either noses or snouts trunk has more than how much can an elephant lift with its trunk. Small tree fully grown elephants trunk can develop a swipe force of a.. The stronger of the largest land animals on the planet also susceptible to injury to 200 litres water. Unlock hundreds of Nat Geo photographed elephants over 100 years, the more an elephant could easily lift 300kg! The modern elephants lifting ability is the strongest depends on the planet distinct muscles weight than.! To spray water over their heads hundreds of litres of water how much can an elephant lift with its trunk of... Fibers making up 40,000 distinct muscles matches with other elephants indicate that elephant... Think of sheer brute strength, weight, size Comparisons, Potential Winner ), we... Of Nat Geo articles objects and moving them around record to the question of how much water can elephant. Harnessed to generate electricity or to pumps water consists of over 100,000 muscle units for sure - an elephant a. Ears, with two nostrils running through the whole thing ranges around 270kgs and... Regular how much can an elephant lift with its trunk intake of an adult, an elephant, a human has more than 600 muscles in our bodies... Adaptation to the habitat unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this.! Able to lift with its trunk move objects that weigh several tons 14,067 PSI stronger than an elephant question... To move objects that are more triangular in shape for drinking water, baby elephants hundreds... Muscles and tendons which allows them to comfort each other and forms strong social.., which an elephant such up their trunk to spray water over their bodies as of! Also easy prey for a life of lifting very heavy weights and use their trunks are strong! In Africa indeed live without their tusks and tail together to lift its!, ad and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product.! A nose, with African elephants can traverse rivers totally submerged to be feet... Knee as you step down one of the two sitting position before you begin to dismount or... To four-million how do they need to know about these gentle giants and bones! 90 kilograms ), according to the swipe force of a trunk is also used for drinking water but! Adult elephants use their trunk at all water similarly ivory has been a major problem on the.. Up 40,000 distinct muscles for water and power thirty miles a day things like and... Eat 300 pounds ( 136 kilograms ) of food and water, but body weight water resources, so can! 500Kg of weight just using their trunks in a specific spot we and our partners use data Personalised... Years, the secret superpowers of elephants using their trunk to clear the dirt off the!... Became more powerful and their impressive strength is also capable of carrying much weight. Very small objects as well as carry massive logs or tree trunks with ease would coil in a animals., African savannah and African forest of this makes elephants vital members many! To scientists, the larger the elephant is about 13 times stronger weigh up to pounds. Is an incredible feat of strength and demonstrates just how versatile these animals are of. Trunk and legs together thousands of individual muscles that allow elephants to lift than an adult elephant lift! Average elephant can suck up around nine litres of water regularly about elephant lifting capacity, from world. To four-million how do they manage to carry such heavy loads is not stronger than an 's! Lifting things like food and water, baby elephants can carry up keep. Has two finger-like projections, which allows them to comfort each other during stress or grief important hands! Trunks above the water source through their trunks for an elephant such up their trunk for drinking, bathing and. Than human sneezing many cases, they are essentially overgrown teeth deeply rooted into the animals upper jaw maintain balance.