Squaring up as they battle to take control of their herd, this is the moment two elephants locked trunks during a brutal brawl.
The
older animal was challenged to the fight by a younger bull for to
become the dominant male at the Amboseli National Park in Kenya.
And
despite the veteran elephant missing one of his tusks after a previous
fight, he used his experience to triumph on the swampy battleground by
throwing the youngster off balance with his trunk.
The
encounter was captured on camera by 35-year-old photographer and owner
of the Nomadic by Nature travel photography site, Mike McCaffrey.
The
American, who now lives in Kenya, was taking a 12,500 mile road trip
through eastern and southern Africa, when he came across the fight.
Mr Caffrey
explained: 'Amboseli National Park is one of the most famous in Kenya.
It sits at the base of Mount Kilamanjaro, offering a stunning backdrop
for safaris.
'The
water from Kilimanjaro feeds swamp lands and lakes in the park, which
attract large herds of elephants and buffalo and makes it feel like the
land of giants.
'I stumbled upon these two giant bull elephants at the edge of one of the swamps engaged in a battle for dominance.
'After a long brutal battle, experience triumphed over youth.
'The
older elephant was able to use his one good tusk to insert it
perpendicularly under the other elephant's tusks like a forklift.
'He then raised his tusk and twisted, throwing the other elephant off balance.'
'He had to
take a number of direct charges from the younger elephant during the
fight, but eventually emerged victorious with the younger elephant
retreating back into the swamp.'
And Mr McCaffrey says he was privileged to view the fight, adding the experience was as exhilarating as it was humbling.
He
explained: 'The animals are so big that everything seems to be moving
in slow motion, but when they crash into each other, the skull cracking
sound of their collision, and the rising dust around them makes you
understand their speed and power.'
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