The elephant’s trunk is multifunctional: It must be flexible to wrap around vegetation, but tough to knock down trees and resist attack. How can one appendage satisfy both constraints? In this combined experimental and theoretical study, we challenged African elephants to reach far-away objects with only horizontal extensions of their trunk. Surprisingly, the trunk does not extend uniformly, but instead exhibits a dorsal “joint” that stretches 15% more than the corresponding ventral section. Using material testing with the skin of a deceased elephant, we show that the asymmetry is due in part to patterns of the skin. The dorsal skin is folded and 15% more pliable than the wrinkled ventral skin. Skin folds protect the dorsal section and stretch to facilitate downward wrapping, the most common gripping style when picking up items. The elephant’s skin is also sufficiently stiff to influence its mechanics: At the joint, the skin requires 13 times more energy to stretch than the corresponding length of muscle. The use of wrinkles and folds to modulate stiffness may provide a valuable concept for both biology and soft robotics.

Zoos offer university researchers unique opportunities to study animals that would be difficult or impractical to find in the wild. However, the different cultures, goals, and priorities of these institutions can be a source of conflict. How can researchers build mutually beneficial collaborations with their local zoo? In this article, we present the results of a survey of 117 personnel from 59 zoos around the United States, where we highlight best practices spanning all phases of collaboration, from planning to working alongside the zoo and maintaining contact afterward. Collaborations were not possible if university personnel did not appreciate the zoo staff’s time constraints as well as the differences between zoo animals and laboratory animals. We include a vision for how to improve zoo collaborations, along with a history of our own decade-long collaborations with Zoo Atlanta. A central theme is the long-term establishment of trust between institutions.