RITIHO B&W

With a gentle twist of its trunk, the elephant prepares to move an old marula trunk lying ahead.

Ritiho means “finger”.

His measured approach reflected his delicate touch. As he contemplated the dead wood trunk lying in his path, its bark peeling from its age, his trunk curled gently upward sensing the air around before making his decision. He was both playful, yet cautious. His eyes concentrating as the herd further behind trumpeted their thoughts, he made his move. Carefully placing his trunk down he nudged the log testing its weight and place. He seemed perplexed, yet excited as his feet moved into position letting him leverage his strength almost effortlessly forward heaving its resistance away as it rolled forward. Underneath, it seemed, lay his treasure - some of the untouched golf ball-sized marula fruits, a true pleasure for his palate.

The elephant's trunk stands as a true marvel. A muscular wonder, devoid of joints or bones, it flexes its might to uproot trees or caress leaves with equal grace. This extraordinary appendage, with a scenting ability rivaling bomb-sniffing dogs, is a versatile masterpiece. But it's more than a tool; it's a lifeline. Drinking, storing, and spraying water, the trunk is their Swiss Army knife of survival. Communication flows through its air blasts, bellowing at 110 decibels, heard for miles.

Unveiling its secret, researchers found the trunk's power resides in its vast nostrils and unique respiratory system. Dilating its nostrils, it swallows water thickened with bran, storing almost six quarts within. Inhaling at over 490 feet per second, it puts our sneezes to shame. With about 40,000 tightly packed muscles, this fusion of lip and nose weighs over 100 kilograms and flexes with Herculean strength. Two nimble "fingers" of an African elephant caress fruits, assess ripeness, and pluck bark with astonishing dexterity. The elephant's trunk, in short, is a symphony of strength, adaptability, and elegance, a testament to nature's ingenuity.