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EzineAdministrator
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Reged: 25/12/02
Posts: 485
Elephant's leaking temporal gland - why?
      #65812 - 13/11/06 04:52 PM

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.


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Ezine.NitroExpress.com

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shakari
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Re: Elephant's leaking temporal gland - why? [Re: Ezine]
      #65874 - 14/11/06 04:03 PM

Depends on the circumstance John. A bull in Musth will leak pretty much continously and is usually a lot more aggressive than a bull that is not in musth. (There's also a lot of other symptoms related to Musth)

However, the gland also leaks at other times on both bulls and cows. Most of the experts seem to think the leaks also occur with mood changes or when they feel threatened or pressured etc.

From my experience, it also seems to happen a lot more in adults than in youngsters or adolescents.

I It's a while since I've read the book but seem to remember it's discussed in "When Elephants Weep" by Jeffrey Masson & Susan McCarthy. Also in the Douglas Hamilton books and probably also in "The Sound of Thunder" by Katy Payne. - All good books and well worth reading if someone wants to try to understand a little about Elephants before they hunt them....



--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com



Edited by shakari (14/11/06 04:06 PM)

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gryphon
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Re: Elephant's leaking temporal gland - why? [Re: shakari]
      #65878 - 14/11/06 07:51 PM

I was under the certain impression that in the case of INDIAN elephants it is directly related to musth and a big dose of testosterone ...

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Get off the chair away from the desk and get out in the bush and enjoy life.

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shakari
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Re: Elephant's leaking temporal gland - why? [Re: gryphon]
      #65879 - 14/11/06 08:33 PM

I don't know much about Indian Elephants - but certainly with African ones, it happens during musth - but also at other times as well and with both sexes.

--------------------
Steve "Shakari" Robinson
Kuduland Safaris (Africa) Ltd
info@kuduland.com
www.kuduland.com



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NitroXAdministrator
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Re: Elephant's leaking temporal gland - why? [Re: shakari]
      #66609 - 08/12/06 07:16 PM

BTTT

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Ndumo
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Reged: 21/12/03
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Re: Elephant's leaking temporal gland - why? [Re: NitroX]
      #66610 - 08/12/06 07:57 PM

John, I agree with Shakari. All African elephants leak, at some time or another, from either stress or musth. As most elephnats nowadys are on commmunal lands, they are pretty much always under stress.

--------------------
Karl Stumpfe
Ndumo Hunting Safaris (Pty) Ltd.
karl@huntingsafaris.net
www.huntingsafaris.net
+264 811 285 416

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