SCP-1495
Karmic Musth
Special Containment Procedures
Under normal conditions, SCP-1495 is to be cared for and fed in keeping with the Foundation’s Zoological Containment Standards for large terrestrial mammals at a purpose-built enclosure on Site ██. Anyone assigned to handling SCP-1495-2 through -15 is permitted to use their informal names for the sake of simplified communication.
No guard dogs or other domesticated animals are allowed on the enclosure. With the exception of small rodents, any local mammalian fauna discovered in the enclosure is to be removed or terminated upon discovery.
Unless they are to be utilized for approved testing, D-Class personnel assigned to interacting with SCP-1495 must not be known or assumed violent felons. D-Class personnel used in SCP-1495-M-1 testing are not subject to this criteria; however, their background must be documented prior to testing.
Members of the herd SCP-1495 are free to roam the enclosure. If additional female specimens of SCP-1495 are discovered in the wild, they are to be captured and may be incorporated into the herd at Site ██. Should a male be discovered in the wild, it is to be recorded and studied but terminated no later than August 15 of that year to prevent an uncontained instance of SCP-1495-M. If a male is discovered during an SCP-1495-M event, it is to be terminated immediately.
Prior to an SCP-1495-M event, males are to be fitted with cranial shunts with reservoirs for collection of SCP-1495-M-1. The entire enclosure is to be checked to make sure no local fauna have entered the containment area.
During an SCP-1495-M event, SCP-1495-2, SCP-1495-3, and SCP-1495-4 are to be kept chained in three standalone climate-controlled steel cages at the far end of the enclosure. These cages are surrounded a 5m high wall made of 1.5m thick reinforced concrete. SCP-1495-2, SCP-1495-3, and SCP-1495-4 are to be placed in separate stalls at all times during 1495-M. No food or water, or drugs will be provided to SCP-1495-2, SCP-1495-3, and SCP-1495-4 while in this type of confinement to help shorten 1495-M.
Description
SCP-1495 is a herd of a previously unknown species of elephant similar in appearance to Loxodonta africana. The herd consists of three males, SCP-1495-(2, 3, and 4) and currently 8 females, SCP-1495-(5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, and 15). All subjects are observed to be of extremely high intelligence, with craniums roughly 10% larger than Loxodonta africana. They are generally obedient with their handlers. Subjects respond to human speech; older subjects understand over 1000 English words. Efforts are underway to achieve meaningful communication with SCP-1495.
Females: For the most part, the female subjects are physiologically identical to Loxodonta africana, save for their larger cranium, heightened intelligence, and longer average life span (believed to be 75-85 years). Recent testing has shown females have a greater capacity to communicate with their handlers (see Addendum 1495-A4).
Males: Generally, males are also virtually identical to Loxodonta africana, yet there are a few other notable distinctions. Upon reaching sexual maturity, male SCP-1495 become particularly resilient, healing from injury at accelerated levels. At this point, they also seem to stop aging. Researchers have been unable to estimate ages for the three males. Most notably, males have been observed to direct the behavior of other mammals, seemingly willing animals to work cooperatively or coordinate attacks (see Addenda).
SCP-1495-M: Once a year usually in mid-autumn, males experience SCP-1495-M, a state similar to the period of hormonal abnormalities experienced by male elephants known as musth. Like normal musth, SCP-1495-M is accompanied by highly aggressive behavior and a thick, tar like temporal secretion called temporin. Temporin excreted by SCP-1495 is documented as SCP-1495-M-1. Males are to be isolated because the scent of SCP-1495-M-1 has a compounding aggression effect on most animals that can last several hours after they are removed from the vicinity of the SCP-1495-M event.
Chemical analysis tests:
Testing conducted by Dr. Ladd found that SCP-1495-M-1 induces aggressive behavior in several orders of mammal, though tests have shown no effect on primates. To humans, SCP-1495-M-1 has a pleasant scent that appears to be hypoallergenic. When SCP-1495-M-1 was injected in D-Class personnel, it appeared to rapidly cure ailments, but most D-Class ultimately experienced heart failure and expired after about two hours. The lone exception in testing was D-19-0777, who remains under Foundation observation (See Addendum 1495-A3).
SCP-1495-M-1 contains compounds similar to certain unknown chemicals found in SCP-500. Further testing on these substances is pending approval. Note by Dr. Ladd: When Xylazine was used in an attempt to lessen the effect of SCP-1495-M, SCP-1495-M-1 excretions lacked these qualities but effects on other mammals remained unchanged.