It is connected to the upper lip. The long, stretched part has no bones and is made of muscle, making it soft and strong. There are finger-like protrusions on the top and bottom of the nose, which allow them to pick up even a single peanut. They have an excellent sense of smell, and can locate water several kilometers away by smell.

They have wrinkles all over their bodies. Their large bodies tend to trap heat, so they create wrinkles to store water and mud and increase the surface area of their skin, making it easier for heat to escape. Their skin is gray, but because they often take mud baths, it is the same color as the surrounding soil.

Both males and females have thick, long tusks. They begin to grow at about two years of age and continue to grow throughout their lives. Older individuals can reach a length of 3.5 meters and a combined weight of 130 kg. The tusks are mainly used for feeding, as tools to peel bark from trees and dig up roots. They are also used as display tools when encountering other individuals, and can sometimes be used as weapons.

In order to support their heavy weight, their feet are pointing straight down. They have four claws on their front feet and three on their back feet. Although it looks like their heels are touching the ground, they actually walk on their tiptoes. The soles of their front and back feet have elastic pads that support their weight.