# Do very large animals have the same sense of touch as humans?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-very-large-animals-have-the-same-sense-of-touch-as-humans/747392>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 28, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-very-large-animals-have-the-same-sense-of-touch-as-humans/747392 "2016-02-28T14:39:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nefario](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/59ef9b/32.png) [@Nefario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nefario)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2016, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-very-large-animals-have-the-same-sense-of-touch-as-humans/747392/1 "2016-02-28T14:39:22Z")

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Can very large animals sense a single fingertip touch on their skin or, say, the brushing of plant leaves as they pass by? I’m thinking of elephants, manatees, whales, large alligators. Especially whales, alligators and crocodiles which seem to have an almost dead. callous-like outer layer. Does skin hair provide a similar sensation as in humans?

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**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\
**Post date:** [February 28, 2016, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-very-large-animals-have-the-same-sense-of-touch-as-humans/747392/2 "2016-02-28T18:52:02Z")

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> [@Nefario](#):
>
> Can very large animals sense a single fingertip touch on their skin or, say, the brushing of plant leaves as they pass by? I’m thinking of elephants, manatees, whales, large alligators. Especially whales, alligators and crocodiles which seem to have an almost dead. callous-like outer layer. Does skin hair provide a similar sensation as in humans?

I found [this](http://www.elephantexperts.org/senses.html) article among others that says that elephants have an excellent sense of touch. Everything I find about elephants says they have a good sense of touch and like to touch one another.

> [@](#):
>
> Contrary to popular belief, an elephant’s skin is rich with nerve endings that sense touch and pain. The most sensitive area of all is the surface of the trunk. This is not suprising, considering that it has partly evolved from the upper lip.
> 
> An elephant’s skin is about an inch thick in most body parts, although it is paper-thin in some areas, such as behind the ears. However, sensitivity to touch does not depend on the thickness of skin. In elephants, the numerous nerve endings that sense touch and pain, are on the surface of the skin. Their sensitivity is not affected by how much skin there is beneath them.
> 
> Elephants put this sensitivity to good use in their social interactions. Meetings of familiar invididuals are typically characterized by intertwining trunks and by frequent gentle touching the other’s body.