What happens when a male is in the state of musth?

Musth in male African elephants, Loxodonta africana, is associated with increased aggressive behavior, continuous discharge of urine, copious secretions from the swollen temporal glands, and elevated androgen levels.

What happens to a male elephant during musth?

Musth- a normal periodic condition in bull (male) elephants, characterized by a large rise in reproductive hormones, temporal drainage, and dribbling/trickling of urine.

Does an elephant have to be in musth to mate?

For about three months a year, Matt—who lives in a population that spans Kenya’s Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves—goes into reproductive overdrive, a state biologists call musth (pronounced “must.”) During musth, middle-aged and elderly male elephants roam the savanna—spending little time eating or resting …

How often do male elephants go into musth?

2. How often do elephants go into musth? Elephant bulls come into musth once a year with the condition happening at approximately the same time each year.

What does musth smell like?

For males in their early teens, musth is a much sweeter experience. They smell “like a mixture of flowers”, says Bets Rasmussen, who studies chemical communication at Oregon Health and Science University in Beaverton.

Why do male elephants go through musth?

Bulls go into musth mostly for mating purposes and can travel great distances during this time. Other male elephants will stay clear from these bulls as musth bulls has a higher chance of mating. Females will rather mate with a bull on musth because they are more dominant over other males.

What is an elephant in musth?

Musth or must (/ˈmʌst/; Urdu: مست‎, from Persian, lit. ‘intoxicated’) is a periodic condition in bull (male) elephants characterized by highly aggressive behavior and accompanied by a large rise in reproductive hormones.

How do male elephants attract females?

Male elephants fan their ears more when they are ready to mate than at other times. This allows them to get their scent out there at a wider distance to attract potential mates. The females are ready to breed when they are about 14 years of age.

How can you tell if an elephant is in musth?

The ways to identify if an elephant is on musth is to first look at the temporal glands. These glands located between the eye and the ear will look wet and stains the cheek area black, but this can also indicate stress or excitement. So to confirm the elephant is on musth, check between the back legs.

What makes a male elephant so special?

And, there is something that is particularly unusual about male elephants. Every few months, individuals go in and out of a period known as musth. When this happens, testosterone levels rise sharply and the male secretes a thick oil from the temporal glands on the sides of his head.

What is an elephant in musth looking for?

Or so I thought. An elephant in musth is looking for a mate with such singularity of purpose that he hardly takes the time to eat or drink.

What happens to elephants when they leave their herd?

Once they leave their family herd at puberty, they spend the rest of their lives—thirty or more years—wandering the forests and fields alone. And, there is something that is particularly unusual about male elephants.

How sociable are bull elephants?

Bull elephants have a reputation as loners. But research shows that males are surprisingly sociable—until it’s time to fight At Namibia’s Etosha National Park, male elephants form long-term friendships. (Susan McConnell)