Giraffes are thought of as peaceful, almost passive creatures, but like all wild animals, they possess the ability to display tremendous aggression in a moment's notice. What I've always enjoyed most about Africa is that one must constantly prepare for the unexpected. Things can change 180 degrees in one second.

One of the rarest sights in the world is two giraffes clashing over territory. Using their heads as massive wrecking balls, they swing violently towards the opponent (using the leverage of an extremely long neck) with lightning speed.

The sounds are thunderous; with a body weight over 3,000 lbs., they can exert massive force. Territorial disputes are often settled with very little actual body contact. This particular day, the bulls were evenly matched and both very intent on gaining the upper hand. After nine minutes of intense action, the slightly darker but smaller bull emerged the victor!

- John Banovich