Get your paws off my dinner! Two 50-stone grizzly bears attack each other in a vicious battle over the right to fish salmon in Canadian river

Incredible photographs have captured two huge grizzly bears launching into a ferocious battle as they fight for the right to fish salmon.

The 50-stone males bare their teeth and grapple with each other in the water as they brawl over territory.

The images of the fight were captured on the Tahumming River in Canada's British Colombia by retired firefighter and amateur wildlife photographer Wayne Duke.

Incredible photographs have captured two huge grizzly bears launching into a ferocious battle as they fight for the right to fish salmon

The 50-stone males bare their teeth and grapple with each other in the water as they brawl over territory

The images of the fight were captured on the Tahumming River in Canada's British Colombia by retired firefighter and amateur wildlife photographer Wayne Duke

The 71-year-old, from Vancouver Island, said the lighter coloured bear chased the darker one into the river.

'Both males were having a territorial dispute and felt as if that part of the river was best for salmon that were spawning in that region.

The 71 year old, from Vancouver Island, said the lighter coloured bear chased the darker one into the river

The two huge bears tussled around in the water as they both tried to catch the salmon, sending water splashing up around them

Wayne said: 'Both males were having a territorial dispute and felt as if that part of the river was best for salmon that were spawning in that region'

The fight looked particularly aggressive and at one point the darker bear was photographed leaning over the other bear, pushing it into the water

Wayne said: 'As things settled down there was still some posturing until they both decided to back off. No one was seriously hurt and only their egos were damaged'

The Canadian Rocky and Columbia Mountains are home to both grizzly and black bears and they fish for salmon in the rivers

The bears are photographed eyeing each other up in the water before the fight begins. The pictures were taken in Canada

Bears will fish for salmon in the rivers but often have to fight to keep control of their territory and dwindling food supplies

'From the initial start, which consisted of a chase through the bush at river's edge into the water and then their dispute would have lasted less than a minute.

'The darker bear seemed to be more aggressive and hold its ground, which was surprising considering the lighter coloured one was the bear doing the chasing through the brush initially forcing it into the water.

'As things settled down there was still some posturing until they both decided to back off. No one was seriously hurt and only their egos were damaged.'