The spectacular confrontation lasted around 15 minutes, with the stallions clashing against one another with formidable strength and power.
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Forceful encounters between two zebra stallions are not rare and can turn deadly.
Zebra Stallions Rise Against One Another For Dominance
A herd of zebras was grazing peacefully by a waterhole in Kruger National Park, in one of the familiar scenes which Kruger visitors are accustomed to.
Bernhard recalls the scene: “We sat at the waterhole as quietly as possible, waiting for animals to come and drink when suddenly, in the distance, a small herd of zebra emerged and came closer to the waterhole.”
With no predator in sight, it seemed all would remain peaceful. However, disturbance did come from within the herd.
Two male zebras began to fight against each other, and the tension between them quickly escalated: “Rapidly the zebras started to fight and bite each other, it looked like a bachelor’s herd, so no females joined the group as far as we could see.”
The zebra stallions pulled out all the stops in their confrontation with one another. They bit at each other and bucked against the other. They knocked heads and stood on hind legs to display power and dominance.
Bernhard relates how the fight continued, with each of the stallions’ intent to come out as the more dominant male. “The most amazing part of this sighting was that the zebra fighting was so long, it lasted approximately 15 minutes. You always see stallions fighting when it is dry or they fight for dominance around a waterhole or where mares are involved, but to see them just carrying on and on like this was a spectacular sight.”
Impressive Antics As Fight Continues
Bernhard was given many riveting moments to capture on his camera. The magnificent animals charged one another with incredible strength. Neither was about to relent.
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“We could not believe how strong and tough these stallions were as they took the bites and kicks to the face, neck, and body remarkably well without looking dazed for a moment.”
Many picture-perfect moments ensued.
Confrontations between two male zebras, such as this one, are a display of strength, strategy, and endurance. They can be relentless and brutal, involving kicking and biting. The aim is always to overpower the other male, the rival.
Through these spectacular displays of dominance and aggression, hierarchies within the herd are established.
These hierarchies help females choose the strongest mates, increasing their offspring’s chance of survival.
Recounting the event, Bernhard says that he realised how tough and cunning zebras can be. He says that the males started to fight less, and the main instigator started to show signs of injury, with blood running from his neck and down his shoulders.
“He started walking away with his head down when another male jumped in to fight,” he says. “They then proceeded to run away from us and kept fighting into the distance.”
Fighting Zebras ‘Pop In For A Drink At The Bar’
The zebras then stopped for a drink at the waterhole, and Bernhard describes it beautifully: “It looked like they had just popped in for a drinks break and bar fight before continuing on again. The guests on our vehicle laughed about the funny ending to our sighting.”