Nilanjan Das's Image

Through the mist, Nilanjan saw an older male blackbuck push and challenge a paler coloured juvenile, withdrawing whenever it faltered.

This appeared to be a training session, preparing the youngster for future, more dangerous confrontations. Nilanjan used black-and-white to express an encounter he felt was more about bonds than conflict. Although blackbucks will engage in play-sparring when young, serious fights are relatively rare among adults. Instead, territorial males achieve dominance primarily by posturing and threatening gestures, displaying their sharp, spiralling horns to ward off challengers.