And the roughly 1,000 whiskers covering the trunk are central to its utility, highly specialized for facilitating tactile feedback. "Each whisker on their trunk acts as a tactile sensory organ, extending their tactile range." An elephant's whiskers do not grow back if damaged or lost so it is crucial they can withstand the physical abuse they experience as the animal finds and eats up to 440 pounds (200 kg) of food daily. "In contrast, elephant trunk whiskers have a flattened cross-section, so they bend easily in the direction the elephant trunk extends. Being resilient is important because elephant whiskers never grow back.

Source: The Telegraph February 13, 2026 13:25 UTC