EleFact Friday: Understanding Musth in Males

Male Asian elephant Sandro in the middle of a bunch of trees

We’re back this Friday with more EleFacts–this time about male elephants. Have you heard of musth? This annual hormonal cycle naturally occurs in adult bull elephants and can last anywhere from a few days to as long as several months. Physical and behavioral changes are characterized by secretion of a hormone-rich substance, temporin, from facial glands, possible aggressive behavior, and a steady trickle of urine down the bull’s back legs. Scientists believe that bull elephants in musth may also suffer from migraine-like symptoms, with visual and audio sensitivities that can intensify with prolonged sensory pollution. Two separate studies by M.R. Jainudeen and Dr. Joyce Poole, studying Asian and African elephants, respectively, suggest that testosterone levels increase up to 50 times higher than normal, leading to the potential for heightened levels of aggression.

For elephants in captivity, this period in their lives can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be. Asian male elephants can weigh up to 15,000 pounds (6,810 kg), and any behavioral changes during this time could potentially make them unintentionally harm themselves, other bulls, or female elephants. (Sandro will have his own habitat and won’t share space with the female Asian elephants.) It takes an extreme level of care and knowledge to properly care for elephants in musth. Even bulls who are normally docile can exhibit behaviors that are abnormally aggressive, made even more dangerous by unsafe or improper confinements. These totally normal behaviors often make males a target of abuse, mistreatment, and neglect in captivity.

Providing sanctuary to male elephants offers them the benefit of having the space and freedom to release pent-up levels of energy or frustration that may develop during musth. The open space allows them to roam on their own and release their feelings by knocking over a tree, fighting with a boulder, or splashing in a pond rather than taking them out on other elephants or even human keepers. Or perhaps they simply need some quiet time, finally in a place where they aren’t bombarded by noise from all directions. At sanctuary, we can furnish an appropriate environment for bull elephants to naturally express their feelings and reactions to the biological changes in their bodies, rather than suppress them and cause further damage to themselves or others.

Photo of Sandro coming out of the trees

Comments(7)

Audrey Tetrault says
September 25, 2026 at 2:59 pm

Very interesting facts and I was wondering if Sandro and the girls would ever be together in a yard. Will they get to touch and be up close with a fence? Does the musth diminish as they age or always at intense levels no matter the age? Thank you
- REPLY
  Sara says
  September 25, 2026 at 3:51 pm
  
  Because of his size and because most of our females are geriatric with physical compromise, it would be dangerous for him to be in with them. even though they may not be able to breed, if he tried to mount them, they could be significantly hurt. in the future, there is a possibility of sharing a fence line with another elephant who shows interest, if Sandro also seems interested, but they will not share a yard. For now, he can smell and hear them and communicate if he chooses. Bulls go through musth sometimes until they are in their 60s.
Cintia says
September 25, 2026 at 3:36 pm

Did you receive any report from the zoo about Sandro’s cycles of musth and how intense they were?
- REPLY
  Sara says
  September 25, 2026 at 3:49 pm
  
  No, we did not.
JoAnn Merriman-Eaton says
September 25, 2026 at 4:45 pm

Thank you for this information. I had no idea the levels of testosterone elevated to that height. Cannot imagine how males suffer even more due to the punishment they receive for just reacting normally during musth. Mr. Sandro is where he needs to be so he can take his aggression out on natures surrounds instead of other elephants, 🐘❤️
Suzanne Eaton says
September 25, 2026 at 8:13 pm

Sandro looks like a different elephant already since being at sanctuary. Thank you for a very educational article. ❤️🐘
Richie Chiger says
September 25, 2026 at 11:51 pm

In zoo and circus captivity, myriad bull elephants, especially Asians, have been shot and killed for what they did during musth. Many have hurt and killed their keepers. A male elephant that always comes to my mind was Gunda, the first elephant that the Bronx Zoo ever had. He attacked his keeper when he was 16 and was kept in chains after that. He was shot and killed when he was 18 years old. This was many, many years ago, in 1915. However, so many bull elephants after him were shot and killed, in zoos and circuses, as well. The Bronx Zoo shot and killed an African forest bull, Zangelima, in 1952. If you look at the history of males in captivity, the incidence of killing them and torturing them by keeping them in chains is staggering. Usually the acting out was during periods of musth. There is a picture of Tusko, an Asian bull, so covered with chains that he could barely move when he went into musth and healthy mature bull elephants experience musth, at least, once a year. Sandro is lucky he is in sanctuary where he will be treated with love, compassion and understanding of what is happening to him. Even at his age, a healthy bull will go into musth.

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