Blog Update
Why Do Elephants Need to Take Baths?
Jun
Why do elephants take baths? Elephants do not cope well with heat, so bathing is essential for keeping them cool and healthy.
Dark skin absorbs heat
Elephants have dark skin, and dark surfaces absorb heat. A black surface reflects only about 5% of sunlight and absorbs around 95%, the opposite of a white surface. A large, dark elephant therefore takes in a lot of heat from the sun.
No sweat glands
Elephants have no sweat glands, so they cannot cool down the way we do. Bathing is crucial for lowering their body temperature, and a coating of mud works like a natural sunscreen, protecting their skin from ultraviolet (UV) rays.
Help them cool off
At Cambodia Elephant Sanctuary you can help the elephants cool off, with activities such as walking with elephants, feeding them, a mud spa and bathing them in the river. Come and be part of helping elephants.
Visit the elephants yourself 🐘
Spend a hands-on, ethical half-day with our rescued elephants near Siem Reap — feed them, join a mud bath and bathe them in the river. Hotel pick-up from Siem Reap included.
Book your elephant experience →