Hippo flips boat during rescue attempt in Kruger National Park

The hippo retreated after the incident, and a viral video of the event has now served as a warning. According to Daily Mail - Home, Andre Pienarar described the hippopotamus as not liking the idea, so the team withdrew, planning to try again another day. He also noted that the weapon used could not do much against such a dangerous animal.

Hippos are Africa's deadliest large mammal, causing an estimated 500-3,000 deaths annually, and they are very territorial animals, especially in water, with a direct encounter having an 86% fatality rate. In March 2024, a large hippo in the Chobe River in Namibia attacked a large tour group on a boat. According to Daily Mail - Home, Jackie Boshoff described the group as quiet on the boat, not making a lot of noise, with the engine off as they approached from a safe distance, when suddenly one particular male hippo began chasing the boat out of nowhere.

Witnesses claim the skipper had approached a few bathing hippos from a 'safe distance' when suddenly a large, male hippo charged at the boat. The skipper jumped into action and tried to facilitate an escape, but the boat was on the ground under shallow water, leaving it at the mercy of the huge marine mammal. The hippo opened its huge mouth and began to chomp down on the boat's outboard motor, leaving the plastic surroundings cracked.

Later that year in May, a 70-year-old tourist was tragically killed by a hippo in Zambia while on a dream holiday. In broader context, a herd of antelopes drinks at a water's edge in Kruger National Park in South Africa, and suddenly something comes up out of the water.