Similar to other elephants, the bulls of Sumatran Elephants also engage in fighting for getting access to receptive or estrous females. Sexual maturity among bulls usually takes place between 12 and 15 years. Sexually mature bulls under the age of 20 often go through an annual phase of heightened sexual excitement known as ‘musth.’ During this period of musth, the testosterone level in their body increases to such extent that it makes the bull extremely aggressive. Secretions containing pheromones can then be seen discharging from the bull’s paired temporal glands located between their eye and ear.
The gestation period of all the subspecies of Asian Elephant, including the Sumatran Elephant, ranges from 18 to 22 months. The female Sumatran Elephants usually give birth to a single calf while twins are rare. The parturition lasts only for about 10 seconds and occurs at night. Similar to other herbivores, the infant of Sumatran Elephants becomes able to stand on its own within 10 – 30 minutes after birth. At the time of birth, the newborn calf weighs around 100 kg (220 lb).
The calf suckles for about 3 years and is weaned till 4 or 5 years of age. A female Sumatran Elephant with a calf does not breed until her first calf is completely weaned in order to make sure that her offspring is fully tended before it becomes semi-independent. The female calves usually stay with their mother’s herd for the rest of their lives, while male calves are chased away after attaining sexual maturity. Moreover, the female elephants of this species stop reproducing after the age of 60.
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