Posted on 11/16/2009 9:49:20 PM PST by Steelfish
November 17, 2009 Caught On Camera: Hippos Kill Crocodile In Rare Clash
[Pics in URL: 4 Images]
Faced with the angry hippos, the crocodile decides to run across their backs
Jonathan Clayton, Africa Correspondent
Bathing hippos usually have a tolerant attitude towards their fellow creatures until something snaps. And then, as this crocodile discovered the hard way, they are the most dangerous wild animals in Africa
Vaclav Silha, a Czech wildlife photographer, had set up his camera on the banks of the Grumeti in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, to take pictures of a group of 50 placid hippos when an explosive fight erupted a thrashing scrum that ended seconds later in the crocodiles violent death.
Mutual respect between these animals means fights occur very rarely, Mr Silha said. One of the only reasons you might see a conflict is if the hippos have young. The incautious croc got too close to a female who had calves and the whole group gathered into a defensive circle.
The crocodile suddenly raced across the backs of the hippos. It might have panicked and thought it was an escape route. It was the worst choice the reptile could ever have made. And it was definitely its last.
The island of hippos erupted with teeth and all I could see was the crocodile being repeatedly crushed in their huge mouths. His body slipped below the water and I didnt see him again.
(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...
Ha! You don’t screw around with hippos. Not if you value your life.
Sad for the croc but hippos are not to be trifled with. They generally don’t look for trouble but if you start it - hippos will finish it.
Recently a baby hippo was born in a zoo I think in Germany. Very cute. Much cuter than Rosie O’Donnell.
Cool
I saw a lion take down a water buffalo ....quite interesting.
Not that I didn’t feel badly for the water buffalo but that’s the way it goes...
Nope.
I don't know how it ended.
Looks like a dead heat....
Word is that the fragile biped survived this particular encounter through some extraordinary footwork.
But you can bet it was by reaching a place of safety. Hippos can run 30 miles per hour, and world-record sprinting humans can only hit about 23 mph.
Hippos kill more people than any other animal in Africa.
I imagine one would find some speed they never knew they had in such a situation.
The hippo got gas.
I am sure they would also leave a trail of brown little lumps also..
Less than a minute late....>:-)
Hmmm. Maybe the conservatives should use the hippo as thier mascot!
Ironically, I was actually looking for a picture of the ‘Hungry Hungry Oprahs’ game that was based on ‘Hungry Hungry Hippos’. This was from at least 10 years ago. Somebody put little Oprah heads on the Hippos. It was hilarious.
The keeper, armed only with a walkie-talkie at the Murchison Falls National Park, somehow managed to escape on this occasion.If he'd had a pistol with him, he might have had a shot at a last stand defense by emptying the clip between the beast's eyes (given that its head is the width of a human torso). Armed with a walkie talkie, all he could have done was run until the animal lost interest or look for the nearest tree.
I’m not rootin’ either way in this chase, but it looks to me that homeboy is about to become a hippo tootsie roll.
Truth is often very funny....:)
I saw a documentary where a hippo pushed her young baby up on top of crocs feeding in the river on zebra or wildebeest. The crocs did not touch the baby at all. They ate and ripped flesh around the baby. It was the craziest thing.
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