Giraffe Necking Duels

Whilst in Swaziland last month I was on safari in Mbuluzi Game Reserve.  Mbuluzi is a small and intimate reserve where you can drive or walk at your own pace. In my opinion, it is the place for giraffe sightings in Swaziland as it is where you can see them up close and personal, it is breath-taking.

It was the time of year where males were pumped up with testosterone, ready to take on some poor unsuspecting female.  And if they had not got a female in their sights then they were fighting amongst themselves to assert dominance.

So on safari, one sunny morning, I came across two giraffe circling each other and trying to beat the other into submission....with their own heads.  These two giraffe were sizing each other up, constantly walking around each other before unleashing their in-built mallet. I was amazed at the force that each of them mustered and the accuracy of the blows, at times the force lifted the other giraffe off its feet.  The longer the neck and the heavier the head then the more damage the blow can inflict.  And this maybe one of the reasons for the giraffes to grow a long neck, natural selection in action. Some of these battles can be fatal but more often or not one of the giraffe will surrender before anything serious happens.  Despite the fact that these battles can be bloody, they often look graceful and choreographed, more like a dance than a duel.  But then appearances can be deceptive.

Later that day I saw one of the giraffes again, and he had a bleeding horn, but I was not too sure whether he was the victor or not.  Necking is serious business.