Over the past few weeks we have been seeing more and more of Ezulwini. He is very well known in this region, specifically for his calm demeanor. Being one of the largest elephants in the area it comes as no surprise that his presence is a highlight for all of the guides, trackers and especially guests.
He was recently seen with a younger male. Young males, also known as “Askari”, will often follow an older male to learn from him. We found them playing on an airstrip, giving us a clear view.
Ezulwini in musth
Musth is a state that elephant bulls will enter from the age of 15-20 years of age. This state will occur for random durations and at random times throughout their lives, but more frequently in winter. Musth is derived from an ancient Persian word which means “drunk”. This is quite interesting as bulls in musth are known for acting erratically and often agressively. During musth an elephant’s testosterone levels can increase up to 60 times the normal level. Even though Ezulwini generally has an extremely relaxed demeanor extra caution is taken around any elephant that exhibits signs of musth. Common signs of musth include urine dripping between the back legs and liquid running down the side of the head, as can be seen below.
Sadly, Ezulwini will not stay in our area for too long and will move on in search of more food and females. But hopefully he won’t stay away for too long.
Interested in booking and potentially seeing this majestic animal for yourself? Contact our reservations.
