Astonished spectators were evacuated from a wildlife park as they watched two elephants fight it out during what was supposed to a nature display.

As the visitors were rushed out, one of the elephants repeatedly spiked the other one with its long, ivory tusks.

The incident happened at The Wild Elephant Valley Rainforest Scenic Area in the autonomous prefecture of Xishuangbanna in the Chinese province of Yunnan, on Saturday, 2nd April.

In a video of the shwodwn, one elephant can be seen stabbing its tusks into the other elephant’s rear as park staff try to separate them.

Keepers later told local media that it is not unusual for the elephants to fight.

They added that although the tourists were evacuated, it did not affect the park’s operation and it had been reopened for business as usual a short while later.

The reason for the fight is not known but when female elephants are in season the bull (male) elephants produce large amounts of a hormone known as ‘musth’ which makes them more aggressive.

According to China tour operator VisitOurChinam, the Wild Elephant Valley Rainforest Scenic Area, also called Sanchahe Forest Park, is said to be home to about 130 wild elephants.