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