Why Are Elephants’ Ears So Big?

An elephant’s large ears serve several purposes. Thermoregulation—an organism’s maintenance of its own body temperature within an optimal range—is likely the primary purpose. The animal lives in a warm climate, and, to keep its body temperature from rising too high, it needs to transfer excess body heat, stored in fluids and tissues, back to the environment. Blood vessels near the surface of the skin of the ears can release built-up heat through forced convection as the elephant flaps its ears.

In addition, the large external part of each ear is thought to help the animal hear, by directing sounds in the environment to the inner ear. What’s more, the ears can help an elephant communicate. For example, an elephant spreading its ears wide will look larger than it really is, which can help intimidate a potential foe.