In honour of World Elephant Day, we are turning to the Wild Kratts to help teach us all about Earth’s gentle giants! 

Scroll down for some fascinating facts and exciting Kratt Brother clips all about ELEPHANTS!

First up, let’s talk about trunks! An elephant’s trunk has up to 40,000 muscles, which gives them incredible strength and control! 

If we had trunks like that… we could do push-ups with our nose!

Elephants use their trunks to help them with a variety of different activities, for example, eating, bathing, and on super-hot days to apply sunscreen! No, really! Elephants protect themselves from the sun by using their trunks to throw mud and sand over their bodies, forming a protective layer that keeps them safe from the hot sun’s rays.

Elephants are also super strong! So strong, in fact, they can push a 15-liter tall acacia tree over with their heads! 

And while we are making a list, along with being incredibly strong and powerful herbivores, elephants are also super kind animals – as long as they are treated well!

Did you know there are three different species of elephants – the African Savannah elephant, the African Forest elephant, and the Asian elephant. African Forest elephants have straighter tusks and more rounded ears than Savannah elephants. And Asian elephants have smaller ears that are similar in shape to India, unlike the African elephants, whose ears resemble more the outline of Africa.

In season 5 of Wild Kratts, the Brothers set out on a mission to figure out the differences between African and Asian elephants. They soon discover that despite their differences, all elephants have lots in common – like feelings, emotions, and real intelligence.

Watch the clip below from the “Elephant Brains” episode to learn more!

World Elephant Day started on August 12, 2012, with the goal of raising awareness of the urgent plight of Asian and African elephants. These gentle giants are loved and respected by people and cultures around the world, but unfortunately due to a variety of different factors, including poaching, habitat loss, and mistreatment, elephants are now in great danger of becoming extinct!

If you would like to learn more about how you can help save the elephants, we’ve pulled together some resource links below:

International Elephant Foundation

Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

African Wildlife Foundation

Amboseli Trust for Elephants

World Wildlife Foundation – Adopt An Elephant

Roots & Shoots