Musth is a natural hormonal state in male elephants characterized by elevated testosterone and aggression that poses significant management challenges in zoos and working elephant facilities.
Captive management of musth represents one of the most acute welfare challenges in elephant keeping. The standard response — chaining or close confinement — imposes severe suffering on animals already experiencing hormonal upheaval. Chaining prevents natural locomotion, causes pressure sores, and produces psychological distress. Some facilities use trained management protocols that allow greater freedom while maintaining safety, but these require significant infrastructure and trained staff. The fundamental challenge is that captive environments cannot replicate the natural social and spatial conditions that enable musth management in wild elephants.