These dramatic pictures show two lion brothers coming to blows with one another in a dramatic fight for dominance.
Seething with anger, with mouths wide opens the siblings sent fur flying through the air when they came claw-to-claw in an intense battle. The snarling lions had clearly fallen out about something when they began ferociously roaring at one another in Kruger National Park, South Africa.
The fight quickly escalated when one of the lions, who had obviously decided enough was enough, launched himself at his brother with claws outstretched. He swung his paw and struck his opponent with such force, saliva flew from his brother’s mouth. After a few intense blows, the pair wrestled one another to the ground until one of them appeared to surrender and the fight came to an end.
Photographer Corlette Wessells from Johannesburg, was lucky enough to witness and photograph the fight, blow-by-blow. Corlette, 43, said: ‘These lions are two well-known brothers from the Southern Pride of Sabi Sabi. I do not know why they were fighting as I arrived just before the action started but I expect they were both trying to assert their dominance. They went full out at each other. Growling, slapping one another until the one male was on the ground, almost being submissive to the other male. I cannot tell you the intensity of their voices and growls they made and the pure force of their forelegs lashing out at one another.
‘I have for years wanted to see two male lions fight – it is not a common sighting and most of times at night and in thick bush. This day I got to see this in open area and so close to me. I could feel their anger and force in my blood, it was overwhelming. I was very emotional after all was over and also very relieved that not one of them got injured seriously – besides maybe their egos. The fact you can see the emotion on their faces, the brutal force they used to lash out at one another is what I like most about these images.’
Source: dailymail.co.uk