At first, baby elephants don’t really know what to do with their trunks. They swing them to and fro and sometimes even step on them. They will suck their trunk just as a baby would suck its thumb. By about 6 to 8 months, they begin learning to use their trunk to eat and drink. By they time they are a year old, they can control their trunks pretty well. Female elephants stay with the herd for life, while males leave the herd at about 12 to 14 years of age. ~Beverly Hernandez, Homeschooling Expert