Nepal’s Rare Elephant ‘Krishna Prasad’ in Musth

A rare elephant named Krishna Prasad, housed in Chitwan National Park, has been tied up after entering a state of musth, a period of heightened aggression in male elephants.

According to Tirtha Lama, a veterinary technician at the park, Krishna Prasad has been tied up at the Divyapuri Post in the eastern part of the park. Lama explained that during this period, a special type of fluid is secreted from the temporal glands on either side of the elephant’s head, causing a significant increase in testosterone levels, making the elephant extremely aggressive.

Krishna Prasad, who is around 22 years old, has been displaying aggressive behavior since entering musth about a week ago. He has attacked his own mahout and is being kept under close observation. Lama stated that male elephants in musth are extremely aggressive, restless, and violent, and can be a threat to anyone who approaches them.

During this period, Krishna Prasad is not eating much and appears weak. Three mahouts have been assigned to care for him, but they are not allowed to get close to him. Food and water are being provided from a distance, and the elephant is being monitored closely.

Krishna Prasad is a rare breed of elephant, being the nephew of Ramgaj and Lakshmanraj, two famous elephants in Nepal’s history. His mother is Devikali, and his father is Romeo, a well-known wild elephant. Krishna Prasad was born on July 23, 2061 BS.