Elephants

[Spalea]

Mark Drury: " Bull Elephant in Musth

A full grown elephant bull in musth is often an awe-inspiring sight, as he muscles his testosterone-fueled way through the mating hierarchy. Musth is the Sanskrit word for intoxicated and is pronounced `moost’ but has been translated into English as `must’. It best describes the hormonal condition that all elephant bulls will experience annually, once they have reached adulthood. Younger bulls in their first musth are often described as unsure of their new found powers, as the testosterone charges through their systems, emboldening them and filling them with the confidence needed to challenge older males for the right to mate, hence the description `intoxicated with lust!’ ".

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