Spitting mad
Chobe game reserve, Botswana 2019
 
As water levels drop in the Chobe river, Botswana, tensions begin to rise. Fiercely dominant male hippos defend their patch, at times, to the death. As rival males try to secure their own place along the river, fights break out. 

These two large males try to intimidate each other by opening their mouths wide to display their huge teeth and jaws. As the fight gets more serious, spit begins to fly and a vocal standoff takes place. When all else fails, fighting begins, at times a deadly exchange, there are high stakes at play when passing on your genes.