Chemical signals of elephant musth: temporal aspects of microbially-mediated modifications.

Mature male African (Loxodonta africana) and Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants exhibit periodic episodes of musth, a state in which serum androgens are elevated, food intake typically decreases, aggressiveness often increases, and breeding success is enhanced. Urine is a common source of chemical signals in a variety of mammals. Elephants in musth dribble urine almost continuously for lengthy periods, suggesting that the chemicals in their urine may reveal their physiological condition to conspecifics.