Does this remind you of a puppy dog?

[KY_EnviroGuy]

11. Genx, a few years back I got curious about how elephant's feet are constructed....

and why they don't get punctured when stepping on sharp rocks and stumps. I was amazed. Although an old techie with an oversized sense of curiosity, I'm not versed in the medical or biology fields but enjoyed a limited lesson on what a complex construct of nature it is.

Should you be curious, this is one of the articles I found: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2048995/

The structural drawings makes it look like they're wearing high heels......

Excerpt for the paper's conclusion:

In conclusion, foot cushions in African elephants have a complex structure both macroscopically and microscopically. The cushions themselves form septate internal pads like the gel pads in modern running shoes, yet are more than just shock absorbers. They are part of an integrated system of tissues, including skeletal, cartilaginous, capsular, adipose, collagenous and elastic forms, contained within a tight integumentary sheath that also must influence their mechanical behaviour. The cushion anatomy is well matched to the demands of storing or absorbing mechanical forces when compressed, and distributing locomotor forces over large areas to keep foot tissue stresses within acceptable levels. In addition to the obvious mechanical functions, the cushions are important sensory structures. The high concentration of sensory receptors such as Vater–Pacinian corpuscles within the cushion and Meissner corpuscles in dermal papillae of the adjacent skin might rank an elephant's foot among the most sensitive parts of its body. Together, the mechanical and sensory functions of the feet enhance the ability of elephants effectively to move through and analyse their physical environment.

One would think the Rhino's feet would be similarly constructed.......