A riveting encounter between two colossal elephants battling for supremacy was captured on video by a tourist on a Botswana safari.
Visitors on the safari were treated to an unexpected spectacle as they came across the two elephants locked in a fierce struggle, which left them injured and one with half a tusk missing.
The intense clash, characterized by clashing tusks and thundering feet, unfolded as the elephants emerged from the bush and moved into an open area.
Los Angeles-based tourist Kathryn Bakken, who was on vacation in Botswana with her husband Chad, recorded the dramatic event. The showdown took place in Duba Plains, located in Botswana’s Okavango Delta, in early November.
An entertainment advertising professional, Kathryn, described the elephants’ behavior during the confrontation: “The elephants would clash for a few minutes, back off, and then perform dominance displays – such as feinting a charge or pushing into bushes and trees to show how strong they were.”
She mentioned that the fierce contest lasted over an hour, and their guide informed them that such battles could go on for an entire day and occasionally result in death.
Kathryn only felt apprehensive when one of the elephants briefly approached their jeep. However, the elephant quickly lost interest, and the fight resumed.
Kathryn expressed her awe at the proximity to the battling animals and acknowledged the danger they posed.
Despite the excitement, she felt saddened by the violence and didn’t want to see the rare and majestic African elephants harmed.
Kathryn concluded that observing these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat from a safe distance was a humbling experience.
As an animal lover and avid photographer, she found that her African adventure perfectly combined her passions.
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