Why do elephants have Big Ears?

Answer 1

I thought he was with Noddy?? are they holding him hostage?

Answer 2

This I must admit is not a subject I am familiar with, but it seemed like it might be cool to know. So I typed elephants into the search engine and a quick look at their anatimy revealed some really interesting facts. The first thing I discovered was Asian elephants have big ears about 60cm x 30cm and African elephants have really big ears measuring 183cm x 114cm about 3 times the size of their asian cousins. An elephants ear is such an important part of the animal and plays several major roles ensuring their wellbeing and survival. The elephants ear has a major function keeping an elephant comfortable by regulating its body temprature, quite essential in a hot climate, especially when you weigh as much as one of these babies. Because of an elephants large mass, and low surface area in comparison, heat loss through radiation is really quite inefficient. The large surface area of an elephants ear with it's large network of veins and arteries allows the hotter blood from its internal functions to be cooled as it passes through this network to be used again. On a hot day in Africa, elephants may be seen standing down wind with there ears open, allowing the cool breeze blow across their hot arteries. African elephants also use them to ward off potential preditors, as well as a signaling device. An elephant can on an average day haer another 4 km's away and when its quiet over 9 km's spanning a 100km radius. And just like human fingerprints no elephant has ears the same as another. Scientists also now believe that they allow the species an infrasound capibility, basically allowing them a secret language because unly elephants can hear the frequency.

Answer 3

Although the African elephant has bigger ears than the Indian counterpart, both serve as radiators for their owners. Blood vessels weave all through the ear structure, so when the elephant flaps her ears, it effectively cools the blood in those vessels, in turn cooling the animal. Nature's way of compensating for size and climate.

Answer 4

the have big ears to keep cool some how an not to hear for distances around because they hear that with their feet. for example when a distant elephant is in distress they press on the right front leg to feel the vibrations on the ground.

Answer 5

not all elephants have big ears, some have small ears

Answer 6

Because the rest of their body is big!

This is one question that shows why I love P&S

Answer 7

So they can hear the teeny-weeny, wireless mice passing by. Wouldn't want to accidentally hurt one of their friends now, would they?

Answer 8

The better to hear you with my dear!
oh yeah,
and something about heat.

Answer 9

to help cool them down! cheers oh mouse with attached ears.

Answer 10

well..it is all because of the mice they fear. they need to have ears big enough to warn them of approaching creatures so tiny that extract such fear.

Answer 11

They are big on their body