Top 10 Craziest Animal Fights Caught on Camera
#10: Giraffes Neck-in-Neck
“Africa” (2013) Giraffes aren’t animals we think of when it comes to vicious fights. They usually appear calm and gentle as they graze the treetops. So, the crew filming these chill creatures for Discovery’s series “Africa” must’ve been startled by this level of violence. Two giraffes were caught hitting each other with their long flexible necks. They quickly become a tangle until one knocks the other over. Although there’s a lot at stake in the desert environment, an expert on “Good Morning America” assured viewers that it wasn’t a fight to the death - it’s simply two males asserting their dominance. Thankfully, the loser will live to fight another day.
#9: Jaguar Descends on a Caiman
“Our Planet” (2019-) Although fresh water is a great place for the jaguar to hunt, it can’t effectively pounce while swimming. Instead, it has to move on land to attack the prey attracted to the water. Unfortunately, slinking along the open shoreline makes its presence too obvious to the potential dinner in its sights. The wickedly intelligent predator eventually tries a new method and takes on a fearsome opponent. The jaguar gets above the caiman by balancing on a branch over the water. It leaps on to the large reptile’s back. The caiman tries to roll the jaguar off, but eventually the tenacious cat is victorious.
#8: Kangaroo Boxers
“Life Story” (2014) Watching two kangaroos box each other is like seeing an old cartoon come to life. Although “Looney Tunes” may not always be a reliable source for animal information, it turns out that kangaroos do come out of their pouches fighting. These fuzzy pugilists start young and spend their early lives sparring with other kangaroos. Eventually these cute creatures can transform into eight-foot-tall fighters. When the adults take to the ring, it’s a fierce match. Their powerful hands and feet can break bones and cause internal injuries. We’d be more likely to get out of the way than stop to see which kangaroo takes the title.
#7: Water Buffalo Against a Lion’s Pride
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“Our Planet” (2019-) Despite the cute and cuddly depictions of lions in Disney films, they’re some of the world’s most fearsome predators. This is made very clear in a fight between lions and water buffalo. Heading towards water is inherently dangerous, but the herd doesn’t have much choice. They must drink daily to survive. As soon as they sense the lions, the herbivores start to run. There may be safety in numbers for the herd, but the fearsome felines have their own pride of players. The lions work together to pull one water buffalo away from the others, and they quickly take it down.
#6: King of the Langur Monkeys
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“Life Story” (2014) This tribe of Hanuman langur monkeys is led by one strong male. When a rival decides he wants to take over the females, he doesn’t come alone. The monkey antagonist brings a group of other single bachelors with him to fight the older father. It’s the langur patriarch’s job to protect his female monkeys and babies, so he has a lot to fight for. It’s an all-out battle between the two leaders, full of mighty springs and speed. Their fangs are bared and their jumps are impressive. Ultimately, the scar-faced leader chases off the intruders and maintains his rocky throne.
#5: A Team of Cheetahs Take on a Wildebeest
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“Our Planet” (2019-) It’s hard to really grasp the speed of a cheetah until you see it featured on film. The true magnificence of this wild cat is further displayed in a fight with a wildebeest. At first, a single cheetah slowly sneaks up on the herd. Then, it erupts into an impressive burst of speed. The feline spooks the wildebeests and they run. The cheetah easily catches up to the herbivores, but can’t keep a hold of one alone. Four more cheetahs suddenly appear from the grass. Working together, they manage to take down a lone wildebeest as the others flee.
#4: Bald Eagle Battle
“Our Planet” (2019-) When you catch sight of a bald eagle in the wild, they’re often perched magnificently on a branch or soaring through the sky. A fight between two is not something you’d ever expect to see. In winter, the salmon are scarce and this young female has to fight to keep the fish that she’s caught. The larger, male eagle swoops in with claws extended and the fight is intense. There’s a face slap, a takedown and wicked wings and claws doing their work. It’s a stunning display of strength and grace.
#3: Leopard & Lion Altercation
“Stories of Africa” (2013) A young leopard thinks he can hide from an older cat in the branches of a tree. Sadly, it doesn’t work, and the more experienced leopard quickly jumps into the limbs to come after the upstart. It becomes a vicious battle in the branches, as they leap and claw at each other from precarious perches. However, their battle above the ground is surprisingly short-lived. As the two cats square off, their fight attracts a pride of lions. Neither one of the fighters wants to take on these mightier beasts. The older leopard quickly runs away while the younger tries his best to remain unnoticed above.
#2: Honey Badger Takes on a Snake
“Honey Badger Grit” (2017) Honey badgers are tough and seemingly have no fear. They’ll attack anything to get the food they need. If the badger wants some honey, it won’t even flinch when the bees show their displeasure. Who would have guessed that it’d be just as happy with some tasty reptile? The mole snake doesn’t have venom, but it can constrict and bite its prey. Despite the snake’s quick moves and lightning bites, the honey badger doesn’t give up. It ignores the bites and keeps going after its snack until it’s victorious. If you think a honey badger should be worried when faced with a dangerous snake, you'd be wrong. Honey badger don’t care.
#1: Cheetah & Hyena Confrontation
“Surviving the Serengeti” (2015) When you think of a fight between a cheetah and a hyena, you might assume that the wild cat would win. However, in this fight for food, it’s not the spotted speedster that ends up victorious. Hyenas are not only fast, versatile hunters, but they also have powerful jaws that can crush bone. The cheetah quickly brings down its prey. However, when the hyena moves in, the feline can’t fight off the fierce predator alone. The mother cheetah does her best to make a mark, but ultimately, it’s the hyena that ends up with the meal.
