Hippopotamuses are one of the most notoriously aggressive animals. They can attack rivals if they feel their territory is being invaded or if they feel threatened.
Despite their seemingly bulky and sluggish appearance, hippos are remarkably agile and dangerous. They are considered some of the most aggressive creatures on the planet.
A male hippopotamus attacks and kills a baby hippopotamus right in front of its mother. (Photo: Adrian Hirschi)
Recently, photographer Adrian Hirschi captured a poignant moment when a baby hippo just a few days old was crushed by an adult male hippopotamus.
At the same time, the mother hippo stood nearby, watching the heartbreaking scene with a look of horror. Unfortunately, the baby hippo did not survive the attack.
Sharing more about this rare photograph, Adrian Hirschi stated that while the mother and baby hippos were playing in a mud puddle, a massive male hippo suddenly charged towards them.
It chased the mother hippo away and then used its massive jaws to violently grab the baby hippo before killing it. “This was clearly a deliberate attack, not just a random act,” Hirschi shared on his personal Twitter account.
The wide mouth and aggressive nature of the hippopotamus make many animals wary, even if just passing through their territory. (Photo: Getty).
According to experts, it is quite rare for hippos to kill young ones in the wild, but it does happen.
Typically, recorded cases of hippos killing their own kind only occur when some individuals venture outside their territory and mingle with new groups. This can provoke some members of the herd, especially male hippos, to feel enraged.
Moreover, male hippos are believed to kill young that are not their own to stimulate the reproductive instincts of females, as well as to prepare for mating with them.
Statistics show that the bite force of a hippopotamus is terrifying, capable of crushing one or two adult crocodiles at once. Thus, it is not hard to imagine why the unfortunate baby hippo could not withstand the attack.
Hippos are particularly aggressive when their territory is invaded or when their young are threatened. Even humans can easily lose their lives if they inadvertently encroach on their territory. Hippos are often responsible for attacks on people and can crush boats belonging to local residents.
