A discussion question for our esteemed elephant hunters and experts. And anyone else with an opinion!

Between an elephants eye and its ear-hole, really between its zygomatic arch and its eye lies a gland which can emit a fluid. This gland is the temporal gland.

My discussion questions is: while hunting in the Zambezi Valley I was told the temporal glands position is very easy to locate as it is always leaking - on the cow elephants we were hunting anyway. But while viewing elephants in the Addo Elephant Park (National Park) in South Africa we were told it only leaks occaisionally. One was sighted and a certain course of action suggested.

So to the questions.

What purpose does the temporal gland serve on an elephant?

Does it leak continually or only occaisionally?

What causes it to leak?

What causes it to leak continually?

Is this any difference between male and females elephants ie in the temporal gland?

If it is leaking will the elephants behavioural practices change?

I have some thoughts on some the questions, and more comments to add from the hunt and Addo instances mentioned above. But I would like to know what members have experienced and what their beliefs or knowledge on the questions are.

I hope this is a useful discussion and educational for most of us.