26/07/2026
"The Makhna of Corbett"
A huge tuskless elephant in musth which we encountered unexpectedly during last visit who gave us a good run before vanishing in forest.
Makhna are adult male Asian elephants that lack visible tusks due to genetics. Despite having no tusks or small barely visible tusks, they are usually just as large and powerful as tusked males. Mostly Makhna are highly unpredictable and aggressive because tusks are often a symbol of dominance and health, makhnas sometimes face disadvantages in mating compared to their tusked counterparts and are sometimes driven out of the heards.
The term originates from the Indian subcontinent, derived from Hindi and Dravidian languages, and loosely translates to "smooth" or "toothless".
Among wildlife guides and photographers, he is simply called "Makhna" because he has no tusks.
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Animal Planet India ANIMALIFE_WORLD wildsofplanet
