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Monday, September 22, 2014

Rumble in the jungle: Dramatic photos show testosterone-fuelled elephant flipping over black rhino as she protects her calf


  • .Large male elephant attacked female rhino which was protecting its calf
  • .It charged at the rhino and flipped it onto its back, leaving its legs in the air
  • .Continued to roll the defenceless animal around and crush it with its weight
  • .Rhino managed to get back up, but sadly died from its injuries days later
  • .Stunning images captured by amateur photographer Louis Kok and his wife

They are two giants of the animal kingdom, but that did not stop this male elephant and black rhino from clashing dramatically in a fearsome fight at a park in Africa.
Amateur photographer Louis Kok and his wife Marthie captured these extraordinary photographs of the large elephant attacking the female rhino - flipping it into its back and leaving it with its legs in the air.
The couple from Pretoria, South Africa, were photographing a rhino cow and her calf when the testosterone-fuelled, one-tusked elephant approached.
Tossed and turned: The large male elephant charges at the female rhino and flips it onto its side
Tossed and turned: The large male elephant charges at the female rhino and flips it onto its side
Relentless: The testosterone-fuelled beast lays into the mother rhino, who was protecting her calf
Relentless: The testosterone-fuelled beast lays into the mother rhino, who was protecting her calf
African assault: The one-tusked elephant attacks the rhino with its truck as it lies injured in the dust
African assault: The one-tusked elephant attacks the rhino with its truck as it lies injured in the dust
Protective mother: The rhino was attacked while trying to protect her calf from the rampaging elephant
Protective mother: The rhino was attacked while trying to protect her calf from the rampaging elephant
The pair were stunned to watch the peaceful scene transform into a brutal battle as the bull elephant charged at the protective rhino mother.
Mr Kok said: 'Male elephants on musth, fuelled by exorbitant levels of testosterone, are extremely dangerous, and will attack anything which stands in their path.'
Musth is a condition during which bull elephants experience a huge rise in reproductive hormones - testosterone levels can reach up to 60 times higher than normal - and this makes them extremely aggressive.
Stunned: Amateur photographer Louis Kok and his wife Marthie did not expect the fight to break out
Stunned: Amateur photographer Louis Kok and his wife Marthie did not expect the fight to break out
Immobilised: The helpless rhino is left prostrate, lying on its back after the elephant's brutal attack
Immobilised: The helpless rhino is left prostrate, lying on its back after the elephant's brutal attack
Cowering: The rhino calf watches on, hiding in the shrubs as the elephant attacks its mother
Cowering: The rhino calf watches on, hiding in the shrubs as the elephant attacks its mother
Baby blues: The calf emerges in search of its mother as the elephant peers on it the background
Baby blues: The calf emerges in search of its mother as the elephant peers on it the background
'The elephant immediately toppled the rhino which landed helplessly on its back with its legs in the air,' Mr Kok continued.
'The elephant kept rolling the defenceless rhino around in the dust, while crushing it repeatedly under its enormous weight - in a traumatising display of speed, agility and brutal power.'
After the fight the rhino's calf rushed to its injured mother's side.
'The calf remained in the vicinity for some time, circling her mother and attempting repeatedly to help her up,' Mr Kok said.
I love you mum! The baby rhino rushes to its mother's side once the scene is safe and the elephant has gone
I love you mum! The baby rhino rushes to its mother's side once the scene is safe and the elephant has gone
Caring child: The calf tends to its mother, which lies on the ground, groaning in pain from her injuries
Caring child: The calf tends to its mother, which lies on the ground, groaning in pain from her injuries
Heartbreaking: The mother managed to get up after around two hours, but died days later from her injuries
Heartbreaking: The mother managed to get up after around two hours, but died days later from her injuries

AFRICAN ELEPHANT 

Scientific name: Loxodonta africana 
Height: 11 feet
Length: 19-24 feet 
Weight: 6 tons
Status: Vulnerable
Habitats: Grasslands and forests

BLACK RHINO 

Scientific name: Diceros bicornis
Height: 5.2 feet
Length: 10 feet
Weight: 1,760-3,080lb
Status: Critically endangered
Habitats: Grasslands and deserts
The pair reported the incident to the management of the park, who said that the rhino did miraculously manage to get up around two hours after the attack.
The following day she was spotted about 300 metres from the scene of the fight, but unfortunately died a few days later from her injuries.
The couple were requested not to identify the park to prevent the influx of poachers into the area.

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