The first rule when traveling in Africa is to never “joke” with a hippopotamus!
Hippos are considered amphibious animals as they spend up to 16 hours a day in the water. They are incredibly large animals and are the third-largest land mammals today, following elephants and white rhinoceroses.
They can reach lengths of 3.3 to 5 meters and stand up to 1.6 meters tall at the shoulder. Females typically weigh around 1,400 kg, while males weigh between 1,600 to 4,500 kg.
The extremely angry face of a mother hippopotamus.
In stark contrast to the shy and gentle demeanor of typical herbivores, hippos are among the most dangerous species in Africa, holding the title for the world’s most aggressive animal.
This creature’s weapon lies in its “earth-shattering” strength, along with its large teeth and tusks used to fend off threats, including humans.
On average, about 2,900 people die each year due to encounters with hippos, a number significantly higher than incidents caused by notorious “bloodthirsty” predators like sharks.
The reason is that hippos are incredibly temperamental and can easily lose control; whenever they feel their territory is invaded or their young are threatened, they will retaliate fiercely and can eliminate any intruder.
Rob Masterton and Jessica Masterton-Smith, a couple traveling in Chobe National Park, Botswana, will surely never forget the “incredibly intense feeling” they experienced during their first encounter with this grumpy animal.
As part of their two-month journey, while on a boat, Jessica spotted a baby hippo and wanted to get a closer look, so she asked the boat to turn back.
However, the mistake made by the tourists was not knowing that hippos are particularly aggressive when their territory is invaded or their young are threatened. They have earned the title of one of the most aggressive creatures in the world, as well as being one of the most dangerous animals in Africa and globally.
A mother hippo charging towards the boat, fortunately, no unfortunate consequences occurred.
After approaching the baby hippo, the guests noticed another hippo rushing “swiftly” through the water to attack. Thankfully, no mistakes were made that would come at a high cost; everyone on the boat remained safe.
Once they calmed down after the storm had passed, the couple reflected on that moment and realized how lucky they were to have escaped from such an angry “beast.”
According to Rob’s account: “I was just going to the back of the boat to have a smoke when suddenly I couldn’t see the mother hippo. In the blink of an eye, the mother hippo had approached the boat with its mouth wide open right next to me. Thanks to the captain’s quick thinking, we were able to return safely!”.
