Double masth Tusker

Gallery: WildlifePosted October 8, 2013115 views7 comments

Double masth tusker moving away from the herd.
In a double maeth tusker, the masth glands are hyper-active, apart from releasing the masth from temples, it keeps dripping from it's organ and the elephant stinks heavily. Once I observed an entire herd, change it's way after smelling the scent.
Thank you so much for your kind attention & views!
Canon 50D; 70-200mm; ISO 200; 1/50 sec. at F 5.6
Jagdeep Rajput

Comments

7 comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on October 8, 2013 at 12:43 PM

Aside from being a well composed and nicely exposed photo I find this to be a very interesting photo in regards to the "masth" status. I had to go to Wikipedia to do some additonal reading about this situation, sounds like they turn into nasty creatures when the temporal glands swell and discharge. Curiously, I see it spelled as "musth", perhaps masth is the more colloquial spelling?
Looks very sharp for 1/50. I'm curious as to how the field they are in is so closely grazed/mown. Is this an agricultural field or maintained this way by wildlife? Thanks for sharing this unique photo Jagdeep.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Ralph Kerr on October 8, 2013 at 1:10 PM

Nice photo of the Tusker. IMO well composed and exposed as Gary said. I enjoy the forest background. I am curious how you got that background so sharp at F5.6.

Registered on January 30, 2007, 369 Posts, 852 Comments

Comment posted by Jenaya Launstein on October 9, 2013 at 11:19 PM

Great image, Jagdeep! I think the other elephants in the background add a ton to this image. Too bad the main elephant is blinking, but what can you do!

Registered on February 8, 2011, 254 Posts, 1302 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on October 11, 2013 at 10:02 PM

Interesting, and well-composed. A good shot, Jagdeep!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Jagdeep Rajput on October 12, 2013 at 10:48 AM

Thanks friends!
Gary, this is not grazed, but how a wetland looks, after water recedes.
Jagdeep Rajput

Registered on April 29, 2008, 686 Posts, 2857 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Gulash on October 12, 2013 at 4:01 PM

Thanks Jagdeep, I understand now that this is in a flood plain, makes sense.

Registered on January 28, 2005, 879 Posts, 12098 Comments

Comment posted by Lon Sharp on October 13, 2013 at 11:30 AM

Another excellent posting from you, Jagdeep! Well done.

Registered on December 9, 2007, 258 Posts, 9892 Comments