ENDANGERED: Fine Art & Photography Contest 2020 Submission

Elephants, especially young males like these two in their early 20s, test one another's strength by placing their trunks on one another's heads and pushing their opponent down and back. Sparring can range from gentle pushing or trunk-twining in a playful or greeting context, to more boisterous shoving to very rough and aggressive pushing, tusking and even ramming. Sparring typically occurs between males, less frequently between a male and female and rarely between two females. Sparring helps them learn their own strength, build knowledge and develop the skill set they will need as mature males.

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