The Victor and the Vanquished (Duel at first light – the series)

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Early into our December holidays, we came upon two black wildebeest bulls squaring off in a territorial tussle near the Basotho Cultural Village in the Golden Gate Highlands National Park. At the onset they appeared evenly matched, sometimes wrestling each other right to the ground with their horns interlocked, entirely oblivious to the human spectators. Reasonably quickly one triumphed and sent his rival running, the entire fight lasting all of one exhilarating four minute long round.

Walking to the battle ground
Walking to the battle ground
Sizing up one another
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
Round 1! Black Wildebeest Duel
The victor and the vanquished
The victor and the vanquished
The victor and the vanquished

Golden Gate has a substantial population of black wildebeest, and is one of the best places to go searching for these endemic South African creatures.

Territorial Black Wildebeest bull that’s lost the tips of both his horns in fights!
Black wildebeest on the trot along Golden Gate’s game viewing circuit
Black wildebeest herd on a plateau
Black wildebeest herd on a plateau
Black wildebeest calves

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