Before Katherine Gilson and her friends embarked on a hunting trip to the Manyoni Private Game Reserve in South Africa, they had no idea they would be chased by an angry hippo.
According to the Latest Sightings website, when guide Sandiso led Gilson and the others on a wildlife viewing tour in the reserve, they witnessed a rare scene.
Despite the scorching temperature reaching 35 degrees Celsius, there was a hippo standing in the middle of the road. Hippos mostly feed on grass, but their skin is sensitive to sunlight, so they typically feed at night. It was very unusual for this hippo to appear in broad daylight and in such hot weather.
Making the situation even more remarkable was the fact that the hippo was in a bad mood, which Sandiso could tell. Therefore, while the group observed this rare sight, Sandiso was already planning their retreat. As the hippo got closer to their vehicle, Sandiso knew it wanted to drive them away from its territory.
Suddenly, the hippo started running. By that time, the vehicle driven by Sandiso had already started moving. In the midst of the hippo’s pursuit, it opened its mouth, attempting to take a bite at the rear of the vehicle but was unsuccessful. Afterwards, it stood in place, watching the vehicle drive away.
The reactions of everyone in the vehicle afterwards said it all – a brief silence followed by laughter. This indicated that they had breathed a sigh of relief after escaping from the hippo. Meanwhile, Sandiso remained silent in the driver’s seat. It is safe to say that no one will forget this encounter with the hippo.
Most importantly, the hippo left safely, their vehicle was undamaged, and everyone was unharmed.
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