Tusker and Makhna 36 hours standoff after one time head on engagement

[Debasis Bose]

Bull elephants supremely reclusive, seldom seen in standoff, the mystique of full grown middle age Makhna engaging with a full grown mid age Tusker unfolding in our presence was worth an experience from close quarter. We missed our heartbeat when the Makhna gave a full blown trumpet that sounded like the clarion call of the doom. We missed the head on engagement but saw the agression and standoff for nearly one and half day. If you carefully note makhna's trunk about a foot from his mouth you will note approx 6 inch of his muscle tissue is dangling, injury was caused during the head on engagement. In the next picture of the series you can see the right ear of the tusker is half torn and dangling. NIKON D3100, exposure 1/1000, F 2.8, 70mm, ISO 100

[Saktipada Panigrahi]

Wonderful. Amazing Natural History moment in the unmistakable Terai and Bhabar land of Corbett so well documented. Contrary to general belief, the Muckna normally attains strong musculature, a gift of Nature, vividly seen in your image, in my view. The 'deadly' tusk of of the 'Ganesha' about which I talked about earlier has done its job. It appears to me that it is younger compared to the Muckna. Such episode is seen by a few who are abundantly blessed. Thanks for sharing.SaktiWild

[Roopak Gangadharan]

Excellent Natural history record. well documented. Nice compo with a good view of the habitat and you have timmed it well with the Makhna trumpeting... sort of sets that the stage for the confrontation.

TFS
Roopak

[Mrudul Godbole]

You got to witness some great natural history moments. The raised trumpet looks nice. Lovely display of the environment in the background. Thanks for sharing the detailed information. Look forward to more.

[Sabyasachi Patra]

Nice to see this excellent natural history moment. When two elephants fight it lasts for a couple of days. There was a report of a fight between two tuskers lasting three days and finally one of them was killed.

R C Morris had written that during a fight between a Muckna and a tusker, the muckna had seized one of the tusks of the tusker with its trunk and had broken it.

During a fight, the first thing the elephants do is to raise their trunk so that it doesn't get injured. Somehow this muckna seems to have got its trunk injured. The trunk is a very sensitive as well as complex organ. Without it, the elephant becomes highly vulnerable. It senses the ground with the trunk before placing its foot. In the night, the trunk along with its keen sense of smell ensures that the elephant is on the right track.

Evans in his book "Elephants and Their Diseases: A Treatise on Elephants" had mentioned one instance of muckna breaking a tusk of a tusker during a fight.

Wish to see such a scene myself. I have documented two elephants sparring, however, yet to see this. Sad that we have only one lifetime.

[Murugan Anantharaman]

Lovely documentation. Any action from corbett is very dear to me. And this is super duper action. Thanks for sharing.