THE TUSKER IN MUSTH .... 
Musth is a periodic condition in bull (male) elephants, characterized by highly aggressive behavior and accompanied by a large rise in reproductive hormones. Testosterone levels in an elephant in musth can be as much as 60 times greater than in the same elephant at other times. However, whether this hormonal surge is the sole cause of musth, or merely a contributing factor, is unknown; and the scientific investigation of musth is also problematic as the most placid elephant can become unduely aggressive during musth phase . Musth is very much seasonal and mostly encountered in the winter months . Elephants in musth discharge a thick tar-like secretion called temporin from the temporal ducts on the sides of the head. Temporin contains proteins, lipids (notably cholesterol), phenol and 4-methyl phenol, cresols and sesquiterpenes (notably farnesol and its derivatives). Secretions and urine collected from elephants have been shown to contain elevated levels of various highly odorous ketones and aldehydes. The elephant's aggression may be partially caused by a reaction to the temporin, which naturally trickles down into the elephant's mouth. Another contributing factor may be the accompanying swelling of the temporal glands; this presses on the elephant's eyes and causes acute pain comparable to severe root abscess toothache. Elephants sometimes try to counteract this pain by digging their tusks into the ground. In wild setting sighting a tusker in musth can be special , exciting , hair raising plus somewhat unnerving . The only time you can not predict an elephants reaction . In a cold ,chilly , frosty , foggy morning at the jaldapara grasslands we had an encounter with this huge extremely handsome tusker in musth . We were a bit scared as he appeared pretty ominous and walked straight at us breaking the mist . His imposing figure was just too good a sight to b missed , as later he didn't feel bothered we stayed at a safe distance to observe him and he gave us quite a prolonged sighting
Asiatic elephant , bull tusker
jaldapara National Park
January 2015
NIKON D3200 +NIKOR VR AF-S 55-300 mm
f/5.3
Exposure Time : 1/500 Sec
ISO-800
Focal Length : 220 mm
Max Apperture : 4.8

ELEPHANT FAMILY'S MORNING OUTING AT HOLLONG SALT PIT ....

Elephants are Crepuscular. They are classified as Mega herbivores and consume up to 150 kg (330 lb) of plant matter per day. They are generalist feeders, and both grazers and browsers , and were recorded to feed on 112 different plant species, most commonly of the order Mal vales, and the legumes , palm , sedge and true grass families. They browse more in the dry season with bark constituting a major part of their diet in the cool part of that season . They drink at least once a day and are never far from a permanent source of fresh water. They need 80–200 litres of water a day for consumption . In addition to it they require significant amount of salt and minerals . Very often we do encounter “geophagy” or dirt eating habits of elephants , this is mainly to supplement low sodium levels in food and water supplies as elephants are heavily muscular ( almost 40,000 muscles constitute their trunks ) they need lots of minerals i.e, sodium , potassium , calcium etc as these cations are required for the muscle contraction . Elephants often seek out natural mineral licks, regions of soil where minerals are concentrated. In different forests of India the forest department has made up some “ salt licks” where elephants and also other animals can come down and fulfil their requirement of salt . At jaldapara national park there is one hollong salt pit which is one of the very few natural salt licks India has and one of the best place to sight these magnificent animals in large numbers . In a foggy frosty morning around 5 am we sighted this beautiful elephant herd headed by the wise and experienced matriarch , who herself is massive in size , 2 other adult females , one sub adult makana (tusk less bull ) , 5 babies of different sizes but above all a huge young tusker in musth . The sighting lasted for only 15 minutes but was really enjoyable and we could click more than 200 photographs . 

ID : Elephas Maximus ( Indian elephant )
Place : Jaldapara National Park

Nikon D3200 , with Nikor VR AF-S 55-300 .... f/5 , Exp Time : 1/500 Sec , ISO : 850 , focal length : 175 MM