Editing Elephant (section)

=== Skin ===
[[File:Elephant Skin (4526726581).jpg|thumb|Asian elephant skin]]
An elephant's skin is generally very tough, at {{convert|2.5|cm|in|0|abbr=on}} thick on the back and parts of the head. The skin around the mouth, [[anus]], and inside of the ear is considerably thinner. Elephants are typically grey, but African elephants look brown or reddish after rolling in coloured mud. Asian elephants have some patches of depigmentation, particularly on the head. Calves have brownish or reddish hair, with the head and back being particularly hairy. As elephants mature, their hair darkens and becomes sparser, but dense concentrations of hair and bristles remain on the tip of the tail and parts of the head and genitals. Normally, the skin of an Asian elephant is covered with more hair than its African counterpart.<ref name=Shoshani66>Shoshani, pp. 66–67.</ref> Their hair is thought to help them lose heat in their hot environments.<ref name="Elephanthair">{{cite journal |last1=Myhrvold |first1=C. L. |last2=Stone |first2=H. A. |last3=Bou-Zeid |first3=E. |title=What Is the Use of Elephant Hair? |journal=PLOS ONE |date=10 October 2012 |volume=7 |issue=10 |page=e47018 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0047018|pmid=23071700 |pmc=3468452 |bibcode=2012PLoSO...747018M |doi-access=free }}</ref>

Although tough, an elephant's skin is very sensitive and requires [[Wallowing|mud baths]] to maintain moisture and protection from burning and insect bites. After bathing, the elephant will usually use its trunk to blow dust onto its body, which dries into a protective crust. Elephants have difficulty releasing heat through the skin because of their low [[surface-area-to-volume ratio]], which is many times smaller than that of a human. They have even been observed lifting up their legs to expose their soles to the air.<ref name=Shoshani66 /> Elephants only have [[sweat gland]]s between the toes,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Lamps|first1=L. W.|last2=Smoller|first2=B. R.|last3=Rasmussen|first3=L. E. L.|last4=Slade|first4=B. E.|last5=Fritsch|first5=G|last6=Godwin|first6=T. E.|year=2001|title=Characterization of interdigital glands in the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus)|journal=Research in Veterinary Science|volume=71|issue=3|pages=197–200|doi=10.1053/rvsc.2001.0508|pmid=11798294 }}</ref> but the skin allows water to disperse and evaporate, cooling the animal.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=1984|title=Do elephants need to sweat?|journal=Journal of Zoology|doi=10.1080/02541858.1984.11447892|last1=Wright|first1=P. G.|last2=Luck|first2=C. P.|volume=19|issue=4|pages=270–274|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|date=1970|title=The epidermis and its keratinisation in the African Elephant (Loxodonta Africana)|journal=Zoologica Africana|doi=10.1080/00445096.1970.11447400|doi-access=free|last1=Spearman|first1=R. I. C.|volume=5|issue=2|pages=327–338}}</ref> In addition, cracks in the skin may reduce dehydration and allow for increased thermal regulation in the long term.<ref>{{Cite journal|date=2018|title=Locally-curved geometry generates bending cracks in the African elephant skin|journal=Nature Communications|doi=10.1038/s41467-018-06257-3|doi-access=free|last1=Martins|first1=António F.|last2=Bennett|first2=Nigel C.|last3=Clavel|first3=Sylvie|last4=Groenewald|first4=Herman|last5=Hensman|first5=Sean|last6=Hoby|first6=Stefan|last7=Joris|first7=Antoine|last8=Manger|first8=Paul R.|last9=Milinkovitch|first9=Michel C.|volume=9|issue=1|page=3865|pmid=30279508|pmc=6168576|bibcode=2018NatCo...9.3865M}}</ref>