How does a baby elephant comfort itself?
An elephant is a large land-living mammal.
The mother elephant feeds her baby milk. Both parents – the mother and the father elephant – are very protective of their young. They live in herds, so other relatives also help to protect the young.

Just like a human infant sucks its thumb for comfort, a baby elephant does something similar. A baby elephant sucks its trunk for comfort. So, a baby elephant puts its trunk in its mouth to comfort itself.


Location of photographs: Masai Mara, Kenya
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM