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It’s once again EleFact Friday and today we’re focusing on properties of elephant skin. The skin of an elephant can weigh as much as 2000 pounds (over 900 kg) and varies in thickness across their bodies. Some of you may remember that Bambi had terrible skin when she arrived at sanctuary. After many months, she was able to slough off layers and layers of skin – but it took quite a while to return to normal. 

On vulnerable spots like the trunk, legs, and back, the skin can be 2.5 to 3.8 cm thick, but behind the ears, by the eyes, on the abdomen, chest, and shoulders, it’s considerably thinner. The thickness of the skin aids in keeping the inner pressure of their bodies comforted and secured. For example, if you buy one apple at the store, you may use just a plastic produce bag to carry it. But of you buy 10 pounds of apples, you’ll probably need something thicker to withstand the weight. 

Elephant skin lacks moisture, making it loose, especially around the joints, to ensure the necessary flexibility for motion. Wrinkles on the skin also help retain moisture. We get a lot of questions about the pink or lighter areas of skin on the elephant here (who are Asian), which is from a lack of pigmentation. You may have noticed this, for instance, on Maia’s nose and ears. This difference in color can be influenced by age, habitat, genetics, or nutrition. Elephants from different parts of Asia also have different coloration on their bodies, but, because they dust themselves so often, elephants tend to be the same color as their enclosures – or, at sanctuary, the same color as the dirt and mud in the habitat. 

Photo of Bambi and her now-radiant skin