"Since the early 1990’s, for example, young male elephants in Pilanesberg National Park and the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve in South Africa have been raping and killing rhinoceroses; this abnormal behavior, according to a 2001 study in the journal Pachyderm, has been reported in ‘‘a number of reserves’’ in the region. In July of last year, officials in Pilanesberg shot three young male elephants who were responsible for the killings of 63 rhinos, as well as attacks on people in safari vehicles." [NY Times Magazine]
This is sort of like the childhood question of "Who would win in a fight? Batman or Superman? Ninjas or Pirates?", except this is nature/safari style. "Elephants or Rhinos?" Advantage: Pachyderms!
Sadly, the bizarre nature of these (crimes?) events are pointed out to highlight the increasing effects of human intrusion into animal habitat. Will further degradation of natural resources bring us to observe further inter-species aggression? What other inter-species conflict would rank up there along with the likes of "Geraldo v Springer?"
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