What is the design of the elephant foot? Elephants have pillar like feet, both hind and front that are supporting huge heavy weight of the elephant’s body. This is called gravipotal design.
How their feet are made up? They have got three bones that will spread when the elephant feet touches the ground and squeeze when their feet are lifted off from the ground. These three bones are covered up with a matrix of fats, which is then covered up by a thick layer of elastic fibers. Those fibers are again covered up with a very thick epidermal layer of skin, that cracks whenever it is exposed to the external environment and weather. Hence a network of ridges and grooves that give the animal a grip, most especially when they are to walk in slippery wet ground.
What makes elephants to walk silently without foot steps? The fat matrix and a layer of elastic fibers act as shock absorber, absorbing the whole huge weight of the elephant, making them to walk gently, smooth and very silent. If it’s without debris of grass and branches, you will not here a thing when you are sleeping in a tent at night.