Mellifluous matures to malodorous in musth |
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Authors: | Rasmussen L E L Riddle H S Krishnamurthy V |
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Affiliation: | Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, OGI School of Science and Engineering, Oregon Health and Science University, Beaverton, Oregon 97006-8921, USA. betsr@bmb.ogi.edu |
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Abstract: | Male Asian elephants in musth--an annual period of heightened sexual activity and intensified aggression--broadcast odoriferous, behaviourally influential messages from secretions of the temporal gland. From our observations in the wild, together with instantaneous chemical sampling and captive-elephant playback experiments, we have discovered that young, socially immature males in musth signal their naivety by releasing honey-like odours to avoid conflict with adult males, whereas older musth males broadcast malodorous combinations to deter young males, facilitating the smooth functioning of male society. As elephant--human conflicts can upset this equilibrium, chemically modulating male behaviour may be one way to help the conservation of wild elephants. |
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