Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Nicola Davis Science correspondent

INSANE: Wrinkles reveal whether elephants are left or right trunked study finds | Rare Historical Photos

Trunks of elephants
Scientists have discovered it is possible to determine an elephant’s ‘trunkedness’ by looking at its wrinkles. Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

While humans are split between right-handers and left-handers, elephants have a preference for which side of their trunk they use. Now scientists have discovered it is possible to determine an elephant’s “trunkedness” by looking at its wrinkles.

While, overall, the pachyderms show an almost 50:50 split in terms of which way they prefer to bend their trunks, scientists have found it is possible to determine an individual adult’s preference.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.