SIGNS OF MUSTH IN
REPRODUCTIVELY
ACTIVE BULLS
THE FIVE CREDOS
• Elephants are intelligent and emotional,
and they want to be left in peace.
Musth walk: Head is carried high with chin tucked in
• Like humans, elephants have a personal
and an overall swaggering gate.
space, which they do not like invaded.
Temporal gland secretion1: Gland secretes an oily fluid
which runs down the cheek to the chin and eventually
• Remember you are in their territory:
leaves stained streaks. Musth males often rub the glands
the elephants always have right-of-way.
against trees. (Note that temporal gland secretions alone
are not a reliable indicator of musth – they can also
• Elephants appreciate silence, patience
indicate stress or excitement in non-musth elephants;
and slow, consistent movements.
look for co-occurence with other signs.)
• Respect for the animals and common
Swollen temporal gland 2: Glands are at least the size
sense must always prevail.
of an orange at the peak of musth. Musth males often
REAL CHARGE
drape their trunks over the tusks to relieve pressure
on the glands.
Frequent urine dribbling: Occurs during full musth,
Warning charge: Rushing towards the opponent
with penis kept inside sheath so urine sprays the hind
or vehicle then the elephant stops abruptly,
legs. Sheath eventually stained yellow-green and legs
standing tall with ears spread, kicking dust with
a fore foot and possibly swinging the trunk
More information on elephants can be found
in our field guide 'Understanding Elephant
Behaviour and How to Safely View Elephants A Guide' published by Struik Nature.
have dark streaks running down.
Strong smell: Musth has a distinct, strong smell that
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is easily discernible to humans.
towards the opponent or vehicle. May be
accompanied by trumpeting or air-blasting.
Produced & Developed by:
2
Warning charges can often transition into real
Illustrations & Photo by
Michelle Henley
charges and should be taken very seriously.
1
Real charge: Rushing towards opponent or
vehicle with ears not fully spread (for greater
Printing sponsored by:
speed). Trunk usually tightly curled up, head held
low, and tusks pointing towards opponent. A real
charge is fast, abrupt and silent, so pay attention
and respond to early warnings before the
elephants feel the need to charge!
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TEMPORAL GLAND SWELLING
AND SECRETION
GUIDELINES FOR
SAFE ELEPHANT
VIEWING
Size: 210mm X 393mm
HOW TO APPROACH AND
BEHAVE NEAR ELEPHANTS
WHEN IN A VEHICLE
• Never box the elephants in when other vehicles
ALWAYS:
• Never drive or park between members of the
• Slow down as soon as you see elephants.
• Switch off the engine, sit quietly and enjoy
the elephants.
• Keep an eye on both sides and the rear of the
vehicle for approaching elephants.
• Make sure you can easily drive away from the
sighting.
• Allow the elephants a clear path away from the area.
• Give the elephants space to move off the road before
driving past them.
• Retreat slowly if the elephants are showing any signs
of unease or mild threat.
• Drive away slowly and quietly if they continue to
show any threat behaviour.
• Give a musth bull lots of space; their testosterone
levels make them short tempered.
• Reverse if a musth bull is in front of you: don’t
drive past or let him walk towards you.
are present.
• Never cut off or block elephants from the direction
Head shaking: An abrupt and vigorous jerking of the
Tail twisting: The tail is swung vigorously or held at
head so the ears flap and crack.
right angles to the body and arched.
Trunk swing forward: Swinging or tossing the trunk
they are walking.
towards opponent.
THREAT DISPLAYS OF ANNOYANCE AND
AGGRESSION - BEST YOU RETREAT!
Throwing dust, branches or objects: Objects thrown
Ear spread: Faces an opponent and spreads the ears
Bush bashing: Tossing the head and tusks through
out 90 degrees from the body. (Not to be confused with
vegetation to demonstrate strength.
• Never rev the engine when elephants are present.
slow, gentle ear flapping which relaxed elephants do to
Tree pushing: Used as a show of strength. (Can also
• Never try to push elephants off the road.
keep cool.)
be done to feed on roots or leaves, in which case it is
elephant herd.
• Never drive for extended periods behind elephants
that are walking along the road.
in the direction of the threat or opponent.
not a threat behaviour.)
• Never speed past elephants or drive faster than
elephants generally walk (6km/hour).
• Never drive off the road or leave your vehicle to get
closer to the elephants.
• Never make any noises or fast, jerky movements
to attract their attention.
LOOKING AT POSTURE,
STANCE AND GESTURES
SIGNS OF UNEASINESS OR APPREHENSION THE ELEPHANT IS DECIDING ON A
FLIGHT-OR-FIGHT RESPONSE
Chin slightly up and ears slightly spread: Usually
NEVER:
Trunk twisting: The trunk tip is twisted back and forth.
occurs when they notice a potential threat.
STANDING TALL
TUSKING GROUND
• Never rush up to the elephants.
Plucking at vegetation without feeding: Vegetation
Standing tall: Lifts head high to look taller. Chin is raised
• Never drive closer than 40 meters to the nearest
may be slapped against the body.
so elephant looks down at adversary.
Tusking ground: Bending or kneeling down, pushing
Foot swing: One front foot is raised and tentatively
Serious threat: Tusks point towards opponent with ears
the trunk into ground or uprooting vegetation.
swung back and forth.
spread. More serious than standing tall.
Commonly used by males as a signal of aggression.
Touching own face: The elephant touches its own
Trumpeting or air-blast: Trunk is used to audibly blast air
Ear fold: Lower half of the ear forced under
face with its trunk.
with a gush, or to blow with loud pop.
and backwards, a horizontal ridge appears
elephant.
• Never park your car over any elephant footpaths
leading off from the road.
across the ear.
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Size: 210mm X 393mm