Elephants are officially hooved mammals, so a group is technically known as a herd. However, the collective noun for elephants – perhaps more fittingly, is a memory. A group of elephants can also be called a parade, although this is far less common. It is likely that elephants evolved trunks as they grew in size and bulk. Their pillar-like legs and naturally heavyset heads and shoulders would be major obstacles to feeding and drinking without their trunks, which enable them to forage and drink with minimal head movement.
