Hippo

[Jock]

This hippo was also seen at the Ntandanyathi Hide. Very unusal sight and just a very lucky shot.

Larger view

[ice]

just a quick question:

do hippos tolerate buffaloes in their pool? I mean on youtube there is a video of a kudu who had run into a pool to get away from a pack of wild dogs only to be torn apart by the hippo...or is an adult buffalo simply to big for a hippo so that they just try to coexist like hippos and crocs?

thanks

[Imberbe]

Hi ice.

This is an impossible question to answer with a yes or no.

Hippo can be very mean when they want to be. They are also much bigger than buffalo. So they will chase buffalo away from time to time.

But then I have also seen them near to each other in water without any problems! They are not direct competition for each other, and do not pose a threat to the other. It often happens in nature that animals of different species will be close to each other, and this happens between these two species as well.

[Nico]

Here a little video about some hippo's in KNP some years ago.

[Tony Park]

I'm really interested in this - have been since Mrs P and i first saw a hippo doing this years ago.

Interesting about the fish picking at lesions. Someone I once asked guessed that maybe they had parasites on their bellies and were trying to somehow lose them by sunbaking!

Din't know, but I'd love to find out. I have a big fat belly and like to back float occasionally to get some sun on it - perhaps Hippos are the same?

[Jeanus]

Whenever I see (do boat cruises in a reserve almost daily) this it is normaly early am when the pod returns to the water or late pm just before leaving, the hippos involved are usualy young (not babies or the old bull in other words)and it seems to be a bit of playfulness to me.

[RUMURUTI]

A couple of photos, not taken in Kruger, taken of hippo.

This fellow actually poked the croc for a few minutes.


Hippo nursery.

[Richprins]

Nice pics, RUMURUTI!

Interesting how hippos and crocodiles coexist quite peacefully normally, but don't be fooled!

In the 70's/80's hippo were undergoing an annual helicopter census in the Olifants River in Kruger.

As the helicopter moves along the river, both species understandably dash for the water at some stage!

A spotter in one of the choppers saw a huge croc take advantage of the chaos and nab a small hippo calf as both were heading for safety!

[RUMURUTI]

Thanks Richprins,
I've seen hippos and crocodiles, maybe 80-100 total, share a small mud lake during a harsh dry season and crocs where actually lying on top of the hippos. An extremely tense atmosphere but proof that in certain occasions coexistence actually reaches high levels.
It rained about a week later and the two species returned to their normal behaviour and some nasty fights broke out.

Lobe hippos and have passed some wonderful evenings on riverbanks watching and listening to them.

[RUMURUTI]

Evening ice, well it happens more frequently than what is generally thought. Hippo are extremely territorial and become fierce when they have new borns with them.
I've seen a mother hippo give chase to a buffalo who had come to drink too close to where her little boy was resting. They can run very very fast and that buffalo was very lucky indeed.

[JEG]

Close to Lower Sabie

[Imberbe]

[cptphotographer]

My son and I spent ages watching this old master of the pool in June.

[BosMal]

Greetings to ALL,

Can anyone give feedback on the "activities" at Malelane bridge, upon exiting the park yesterday, we noticed a dead hippo on the banks of the river, a lot of crocodiles were hanging around in the area.

We were informed that the hippo was struck by lightning on saturday, if I could if would have camped on the bridge last night and for the next few days - but nou ja, we have to work during the week.

Had a lovely weekend at Pretoriuskop, saw a leopard at the T -junction towards Skukuza and all the rest of the big five.

If any lucky soul is at the park now and have taken photos of the hippo carcass please make available for all.


Thanks

BosMal

[woodlin]

Hey BosMal. I have my doubts about the lightning story, as although there was heaps of lightning on the Saturday night, when I went into the park for a drive on Saturday at 9, the hippo was not there, but lay dead when I came out around 12:30. So not sure if it would have taken so long to die if struck by lightning the previous night?

I unfortunately did not take photos but yes, what a traffic jam!!

When we went in on Sunday for another dirve, there was an ULTRA huge croc guarding the carcass. THis was 05:30 and here we are watching the croc, when a LEOPARD walks out from the reeds and strolls away towards the distant trees

Also 6 separate sightings of *** - two of them with calves!