In the wetlands of Okavango, Botswana, two powerful hippos fight for the right to mate.
A dominant male hippo faces a challenger in this BBC footage narrated by David Attenborough that reveals the epic clash in vivid detail.
The confrontation begins with intimidation. When neither animal backs down, the fight escalates. The hippos ram each other with open mouths, snapping with enormous jaws and slashing with sharp teeth and tusks.
A hippo’s forward-pointing tusks are lethal, capable of piercing thick protective blubber, while their jaws can open up to an astonishing 150 degrees. Battles can last for hours, and occasionally they turn fatal.
Here, one savage bite to the head decides the outcome. The incumbent hippo wins the right to mate with the females, and he doesn't waste time getting down to business.
Watch brutal hippo battle
This footage was originally filmed for the BBC's Nature's Great Events.
Main image: Male hippos fight in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Credit: Getty Images
