This is the spectacular moment male elephants battle it out during breeding season leaving one animal prone on the ground after being smashed into a fence.

The structure of an elephant herd is complicated with females forming groups and males tending to live in isolation or in small groups with a dominant male and young elephants that learn from their older associates.

But there is bitter rivalry when the mating season comes around, as these tourists found out when several African elephants began battling it out at the Shanghai Wildlife Park in China.

With no place to escape, the losing tusker was constantly knocked around before being smashed violently into a fence where it lay not moving after losing the battle.