Fun Facts Friday: Elephant Ears Elephant ears primarily function as a cooling system. Since their only sweat glands are between their toes, elephants rely on their ears to regulate body temperature. They pump blood through the vessels in the backs of their ears every 20 minutes. Spraying water, mud, or dust on their ears helps cool the blood before it circulates back through the body. African elephants have larger ears suited for hotter climates, shaped like the continent of Africa, and growing

In their native range across Asia, Asian elephants are facing an uncertain future, with fewer than 50,000 individuals remaining. Through our conservation work as part of the Center for Species Survival Asian Elephant , we’re collaborating with partners across 13 range countries to help secure a future for Asian elephants in the wild. This Center for Species Survival is the world’s first CSS conservation hub exclusively dedicated to a single species and uniquely located within the heart of Asian