cover of episode Why Do Elephants Have Trunks? Why Do Giraffes Have Purple Tongues?

Why Do Elephants Have Trunks? Why Do Giraffes Have Purple Tongues?

2019/2/1
logo of podcast But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids

But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids
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Topics
Peter Regg: 大象体型巨大是自然选择的结果，体型大有诸多优势，例如不易被捕食，更容易保持体温，以及储存更多能量。大象皮肤粗糙是为了适应气候变暖，减少毛发以散热，同时粗糙的皮肤可以保护自身免受损伤。大象用鼻子喝水的方式类似于用吸管吸牛奶，它们不会像吸管一样吸到鼻腔深处。大象长鼻子的进化是为了更好地获取食物，并成为了一种多功能的生存工具。大象很少跺脚，它们行走非常安静。大象并不害怕老鼠，这只是卡通里的说法。大象的象牙用途广泛，但同时也导致了偷猎问题。大象被偷猎是因为象牙的价值，这是一种文化和经济因素造成的严重问题。 Steph Fennessy: 长颈鹿长脖子是为了更好地获取食物和在雄性间的竞争中占据优势，是自然选择的结果。长颈鹿的斑点图案起到伪装作用，并且每个长颈鹿的图案都是独一无二的。长颈鹿的紫色舌头可能是为了防晒，并且它们的唾液具有抗菌作用。目前尚不清楚野生长颈鹿的平均寿命。长颈鹿的数量正在减少，需要保护。

Deep Dive

Chapters
This chapter explores why elephants are so large, discussing the advantages of their size, the role of natural selection, and how their size evolved over time.

Shownotes Transcript

We're exploring two different animals in today's episode. One has a long neck and the other has a long trunk! We'll answer: Why are elephants so big? How do their trunks work? Why do they have tusks? Why is elephant skin so rough? Do elephants stomp? Are they actually afraid of mice? And Why are elephants being poached? Peter Wrege of the Elephant Listening Project, which studies elephants in Central African Republic, answers elephant questions. And Steph Fennessy, from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation in Namibia, answers these questions about giraffes: Why do giraffes have long necks? Why do animals have different patterns, like zebras, giraffes, cheetah? What's a giraffe's usual life span? And why are their tongues purple?