Musth

Musth or must /ˈmʌst/ (a word from Indian languages meaning a state of enjoyment) is a periodic condition in bull (male) elephants characterized by highly aggressive behavior and accompanied by a large rise in reproductive hormones.It was sweet to hear of your victories and fameand I came here desiring to see you.I came with my big family, passing few mountainswhere noble, young male elephants with coarse hairand swaying walks have musth flowing from theircheek glands and elephant mothers with calveswave wild jasmine twigs,chasing striped bees that swarm on the sweet musth. Musth or must /ˈmʌst/ (a word from Indian languages meaning a state of enjoyment) is a periodic condition in bull (male) elephants characterized by highly aggressive behavior and accompanied by a large rise in reproductive hormones. Testosterone levels in an elephant in musth can be on average 60 times greater than in the same elephant at other times (in specific individuals these testosterone levels can even reach as much as 140 times the normal). However, whether this hormonal surge is the sole cause of musth, or merely a contributing factor, is unknown.