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"...reintroducing older males into the elephant population of the area seems to prevent younger males from entering musth, and therefore, stop this aggressive b

• papeda 7y ago
  Reminds me of orangutans, too [1]: > Males mature at around 15 years of age, by which time they have fully descended testicles and can reproduce. However, they exhibit arrested development by not developing the distinctive cheek pads, pronounced throat pouches, long fur, or long-calls until they are between 15 and 20 years old. The development of these characteristics depends largely on the absence of a resident male. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orangutan https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orangutan
• keenmaster 7y ago
  In both the elephant and orangutan examples, this dichotomy might be because resident males have already built a social structure that works. The value of another male alpha male might be redundant. If that is the case, the younger male physiologically self regulates because the destruction of a new alpha male isn't worth the marginal benefits. In other species this is not the case and constant fighting to be the alpha male is worth it in aggregate.