Photo: Wayne Marinovich / iStock / Getty Images
A dramatic rescue operation in Kruger National Park, South Africa, turned dangerous when a hippopotamus capsized a boat and attacked a wildlife ranger on Wednesday (February 26). The incident happened as members of The Digital Ark, a conservation group, attempted to capture and relocate a hippo and its calf that had escaped from a nearby farm after flooding.
According to The Daily Mail, conservationist Zander was suddenly thrown into the water when the hippo flipped his boat from underneath. Video footage shows Zander scrambling onto the overturned vessel while his father, Andre Pienaar, watched in horror from a nearby raft.
Luckily for Zander, the hippo retreated after the attack.
The group intended to tranquilize the hippo and its calf with dart guns and transport them back safely. Andre Pienaar later posted a warning on Facebook, stating, “Hippos are responsible for more human fatalities in Africa than almost any other large animal… and today we’re reminded why. During this darting operation, the hippo charged and flipped our boat, throwing a team member into the water and capsizing the vessel completely. This is not staged. This is real wildlife work.”
Hippos are known to be highly territorial and are considered Africa’s deadliest large mammal, responsible for up to 3,000 deaths annually. The video of the incident underscores the risks faced by conservationists working in the field.
The rescue operation was called off for the day, but the conservation team plans to try relocating the animals again in the future. No serious injuries were reported in the incident.