Why do elephants have wrinkled skin? The intricate web of cracks and crevices that gives African elephants their distinctive look is, in fact, an essential adaptation. Their ability to stay cool in hot African temperatures is thanks to these "wrinkles," which aren't actually wrinkles at all, but millions of microscopic cracks in their epidermis.

In the latest video from Decoder, learn how elephants use a method called evaporative cooling to control their body temperature and why their skin’s uniquely cracked texture helps them stay cool even on the hottest of days.

For more, read “Evolved to Crack” in the March 2019 issue of National Geographic Magazine.

Why do elephants have wrinkled skin? The intricate web of cracks and crevices that gives African elephants their distinctive look is, in fact, an essential adaptation. Their ability to stay cool in hot African temperatures is thanks to these "wrinkles," which aren't actually wrinkles at all, but millions of microscopic cracks in their epidermis.

In the latest video from Decoder, learn how elephants use a method called evaporative cooling to control their body temperature and why their skin’s uniquely cracked texture helps them stay cool even on the hottest of days.

For more, read “Evolved to Crack” in the March 2019 issue of National Geographic Magazine.