Hormones and Behavior, Volume 57, Issues 4-5, April 2010, Pages 506-514. doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2010.02.009
Endocrine Correlates Of Musth And The Impact Of Ecological And Social Factors In Free-ranging African Elephants (Loxodonta Africana) (2010)
Sexual activity in mature male African elephants is predominantly associated with the occurrence of musth, a state or condition which refers to a set of physical, physiological and behavioral characteristics, including an elevation in androgen levels.
Journal
Hormones and Behavior
Author(s)
Ganswindt, A., Muenscher, S., Henley, M., Henley, S., Heistermann, M., Palme, R., Thompson, P., Bertschinger, H.
Summary
Sexual activity in mature male African elephants is predominantly associated with the occurrence of musth, a state or condition which refers to a set of physical, physiological and behavioral characteristics, including an elevation in androgen levels. Although musth appears to be energetically costly, the degree to which it is associated with changes in adrenal endocrine function (e.g., glucocorticoid output) is still unclear. To investigate the possible effect of musth on adrenocortical function, and the impact of socioecological changes on androgen and glucocorticoid levels, six adult African elephant bulls were followed for 13 months in the Kruger National Park, South Africa, and observations and fecal sample collection for endocrine monitoring was carried out about twice weekly.