Musth is found typically in sexually mature male elephants however this occurrence is often sporadically for elephants aged between fourteen to twenty age group.

The musth period is generally shorter in old bulls than it is in young ones. In the wild, normally one male in an area is observed to be in musth at a time: however there could be overlapping due to long musth periods in particular elephants.

The occurrence of musth is usually periodic, either annual or biannual. The duration of musth may range from one day to eleven months in captive elephants. In wild Asian bulls it lasts from one to thirty-four days.

Observations of both wild and captive Asian elephants have shown that elephants in musth are far more aggressive while in musth. Some bulls may become lethargic and unpredictability and dominance displays are common. Captive musth elephants become less responsive to commands and many say that they appear "more wild". During the period of musth captive elephants must be kept away from the public and often chained with super strength chains.

Although the temporal gland was recorded as long ago as 1734, its function is still controversial.

Ancient Beliefs
The ancients believed in the existence of pearls in the elephant's skull because the oozing fluid can have a crystalline appearance. It was also considered to be an antidote for poison, an aphrodisiac, an antiseptic and a tonic for hair growth.

Heightened Sexual Activity
Blood plasma testosterone levels are found to be high in musth elephants. Analysis of the secretion also shows a four to ten fold greater concentration of androgen than in the serum (the liquid in blood after coagulation). This suggests a concentration of steroids in the temporal glands. This would certainly tie with the increased aggression of musth elephants. The end result is that the heightened aggression is to provide the male with increased aggression and thus dominance over other non-musth males in order to fight for the females that are in estrous (heat).

Chemical Communication
Experiments with captive Asian elephants in musth have also shown increased flehmen activity to their own urine. Flehmen looks like a grimace and occurs when the elephant by the elephant dipping the trunk to the urine and then raising the trunk to the mouth tastes the urine. Scientists have isolated one particular ingredient in the urine of both musth males and females in their own period of heightened sexual activity (estrous). A simple way to explain it is that the male elephant tastes the female's urine much similar to a wine taster judging a good vintage!

Elephants in the wild have been observed rubbing their cheeks on trees and other objects in the forest, which suggests a more specific communicative function of the temporal gland secretion. The secretions may mark important points, like waterholes, and contribute to the spacing of the male population.

It has also been suggested that the flapping of the hears contributes to the spreading of the aroma so that the females are attracted to the musth males and other non musth males to stay away from their patch!