Due to gravity, much of the water that falls as rain trickles down through the soil. This ultimately reaches the water table. In many parts of Africa, where elephants live, there are cycles of rain and drought. These seasons follow a wet-dry pattern instead of one based on temperature. During the dry season, watering holes and streams often dry up. Animals in the savanna either travel huge distances, conserve water, or cluster around the remaining surface water.

Elephants live in the savanna and are intelligent animals. They have a highly developed sense of smell—one of the best in the animal kingdom! They can smell water both far away and underground. During the dry season, an elephant will dig holes with its trunk, tusks, and front feet to find underground springs up to 3 feet (one meter) deep. The thirsty animals also gain access to dissolved minerals in the water, which they lose through sweat. After the elephants had their share, other animals use the spring as a resource. Elephants are an important part of the ecosystem as they create access to and share these underground springs.