Elephants use their trunks as snorkels when swimming. They can hold most of their bodies underwater while extending the trunk above the surface to breathe.
The trunk is a remarkable combination of the nose and upper lip, packed with muscles and sensitive enough for delicate handling. It also functions as an air passage, allowing an elephant to inhale while its head is submerged. This adaptation helps elephants cross rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.
Elephants are capable swimmers and can use all four legs to paddle. Their buoyant bodies make floating relatively easy, while the trunk provides a flexible breathing tube. They may also use the trunk to investigate the water, communicate, or spray themselves.
Tusks do not serve as breathing tubes, and ears are not snorkels either. Elephants may hold their ears close to the body or use them for cooling on land, but respiration during a swim depends on the trunk. The ability is especially useful for animals that travel long distances between feeding and water sites.