The elephant's ears are important for cooling. Elephants do not have sweat glands, so they an alternative way to remove excess heat from their bodies. The ears are very thin, and have many blood vessels. As the elephant moves its ears, the surrounding air absorbs some of the heat, cooling the blood by as much as ten degrees Fahrenheit. By flapping their ears, they keep a stream of cooler air moving over their ears, carrying away more heat.

Their ears are also flared out for displays of aggression, to intimidate rivals or other threats.