The Clash of the Titans

One of the most awe-inspiring sights on the savannah is that of two bull elephants fighting.

With the start of the Short Rains having been delayed this year, we have more elephants than usual close to us. This is most likely because the Ol Kinyei Conservancy has more streams than most other parts of the eco-system and so is greener when it’s dry. This attracts elephants from other areas. We have at least two herds, each about ten strong, of bull elephants and a large herd, perhaps of about fifty female elephants and calves, that we have been seeing near the camp.

A few days ago, we came across one of the two all-male herds. This one consisted of the relatively younger elephants. Young bull elephants often mock fight to practice for when they might have to get into a real battle. They also fight to establish dominance. We witnessed a short duel. It wasn’t a serious fight and no one was hurt, but look for when one of the elephants pokes the other quite sharply with his tusk, at 1:15. It’s hard to imagine any animal apart from an elephant emerging unscathed from an assault like that.