As elephants tromp across African forests, they leave footprints measuring up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) across. When it rains, puddles form in the tracks. Scientists recently found that these watery prints are teeming with tiny living things!
Researchers in Uganda collected water from 30 elephant footprints in the country’s Kibale National Park. They found more than 60 different species living there, including dragonflies, leeches, beetles, and tadpoles.
These creatures need to eat or breed in water, but habitats like ponds dry up during part of the year. The species may rely on elephant tracks to survive, says biologist Wolfram Remmers.