The Asian elephant's high domed head, convex back and relatively small ears distinguish it from its African relative. Elephants' ears play an important role in temperature regulation: the familiar flapping motion of the ears cools the blood that flows through the ears' dense network of veins; the cooled blood then travels to the rest of the body, reducing the overall body temperature. The Asian elephant has smaller ears than the African elephant since it usually lives in forests, where the shady conditions diminish its need for a large 'cooling system'.