Is this hippo a gentle giant or just hungry for a kill? Perceived by those who captured the video as a heart-warming rescue, we're not so sure.
Real Estate Agent, Carolyn Wridgway (57), who caught this sighting on camera tells Latestsightings.com:
“We stopped for breakfast at Muzandzeni Picnic Site and from there decided to take the longer route back to Satara past Talamati Camp, as we had never been on that road before.
"We were ecstatic to be able to have the good fortune to witness this incredible event that began to play out.My 8-year-old granddaughter, who was watching the events unfold innocently thought that the hippo was a super-hero for trying to rescue a baby kudu and she was very sad when the kudu drowned and the hippo's tooth went right through it.
"It was amazing to see the hippo get the kudu to the water’s edge and then try and get it back on its feet while protecting it from the dog invasion, but it was sickening to see the way the hippo and dogs were having a tug of war with the kudu.
"It saddened us to see this huge animal looking so deflated when it must have realised the kudu was dead and there was nothing more that could be done, the battle was lost.
"When the sad hippo left, the dogs ripped into the kudu and dragged it behind a bush. When they were done, two dogs stayed near the carcass and kept chasing away the vultures. Eventually, the dogs gave up protecting the carcass and left it for the vultures to feast on, this too was an amazing sighting to have seen.We have never witnessed a kill taking place so this was exceptionally rare for us and even more so given the nature of the kill.”
Could this hippo wash itself of any 'wrongdoing'? This is not cruel nor heartwarming, it's just instinct, just nature.
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