Managing adult male elephants in musth, a hormonal state involving aggressive behaviour, presents major welfare and safety challenges in zoos and sanctuaries.
Bulls kept in isolation or restraint during musth experience significant welfare costs. Chaining prevents normal movement, social contact, and behavioural expression. Hormonal suppression may alleviate some physiological distress but can have long-term health effects. Facilities that invest in expansive protected contact management, provide adequate exercise, and maintain stable bull social groupings report more manageable musth episodes. The fundamental issue is that captive environments rarely provide the space and social complexity that wild bull elephants experience across hundreds of square kilometres.