Musth is a periodic hormonal state in male elephants associated with elevated testosterone, heightened aggression, and behavioral changes that have significant welfare implications in both wild and captive contexts.
Musth represents a natural, hormonally-driven state that wild male elephants have evolved to experience. In wild populations with adequate range, musth males navigate competition with relatively low per-capita harm, though serious fights do occur. In captivity, musth creates profound welfare challenges: chaining or isolation to manage aggressive males denies behavioral expression and causes psychological suffering, while unsupressed musth creates safety risks. The tension between human safety and elephant welfare during musth has no easy resolution in captive environments.