Female urine contains a sex pheromone that increases before ovulation (African Elephant's pheromone differs)
Female emits loud infrasonic call when in estrus to attract males
Bulls sniff female genitals and urine, place trunk tip into mouth:
Prior to copulation, wrestle with intertwined trunks, bite each other’s necks, male attempts mounting
Females exercise some choice in mates by running away and/or not standing still
Mounts last about 30 seconds
Mating and births occur any time during year; may peak during heavy rains in some regions
In managed care, estrus cycle lasts 13 to 14 weeks (if female is not pregnant)
Females who have conceived or with young may have 4 - 5 years between estrus cycles
Only one in five follicular cycles, each lasting 2-3 weeks, produce a fertile egg
Males can breed at any time, not only when in musth (Hindu for "intoxicated")
Reproductive Rate:
Gestation
Birth
Infant (< 1 year old)
Juvenile
Subadult
Adult
Allen (2006)
Alter (2004)
Langbauer (2000)
Moss (1990)
Shoshani & Eisenberg (1982)
Sukumar (1989, 1994)