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The incredible, bendable, twistable, expandable elephant trunk - Chase LaDue & Bruce A. Schulte

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TEDEd Animation

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As a breeze blows through the savannah, a snake-shaped tube stretches into the air and scans the horizon like a periscope. But it’s not seeing— it’s sniffing. Containing no bones and an estimated 40,000 muscles, an elephant trunk is one of the most versatile tools in the animal kingdom. Chase LaDue and Bruce Schulte detail the incredible capabilities of these agile appendages.

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Meet The Creators

  • Educator Chase LaDue, Bruce A. Schulte
  • Director Petya Zlateva, Compote Collective
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Storyboard Artist Petya Zlateva
  • Animator Petya Zlateva
Avatar for Sazia Afrin
Lesson in progress

How can the presence and activities of humans living in and visiting habitats where elephants reside affect elephants and other wildlife?


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Avatar for Elizabeth Brown
Lesson completed

Answers provided by my first grade class.
-they could be scared because humans aren't trustworthy.
- they could get sick.
-they would have to share resources.
-pollution.
-using up their habitats.


Avatar for Twisha Khurana
Lesson completed

Scare the elephants.


Avatar for ariane lafreniere
Lesson completed

Smell out water and touch trunk for there friends


Avatar for Breanna Sanchez Lopez
Lesson in progress

they can smell out water and they touch each others trunks so they know if they are friends

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