Musth in male elephants - a periodic condition of elevated testosterone and aggression - presents significant management challenges for zoos and working elephant operations.
Musth management in captive elephants involves balancing safety with welfare - the isolation often used to manage musth aggression compounds the welfare cost of an already intense physiological state. Protected contact systems that maintain care routines without direct contact allow welfare-conscious management of musth bulls without isolation. Understanding musth as a normal biological process rather than a behavioral problem shapes more humane management approaches in progressive facilities.