iStockphoto / Kate Bauman
Hippos have built a reputation as one of the deadliest animals in all of Africa. And while annual deaths caused by hippo attacks pale in comparison to mosquitoes, the real killer on the continent, hippo attacks are believed to account for 500 deaths per year.
Fortunately for all of the parties involved below, they didn’t become a statistic after the hippo charged their safari vehicle and bit into it, seemingly rendering the Jeep unable to leave.
Wildlife photographers Bill and Linda Klipp were on a safari to Botswana’s Okavango Delta when the incident occurred. Bill Klipp later uploaded the unnerving video below showing the hippo as it attacks them and their vehicle.
Hippo Attacks Safari Vehicle And Bites Into A Car’s Door So It Cannot Leave
In the caption, Klipp wrote “after a short time watching the Hippo from our safari vehicle, he suddenly took issue with our presence in his territory and charged us.” He then explains that false/mock charges are relatively common with hippos and elephants. This occurs when they charge to demonstrate it is their territory and they are in charge but they typically back off before attacking.
He then goes on to explain the hectic scene that unfolded afterward. Klipp says “While we were expecting a short mock charge this was not the case, he came rapidly at us through the water and within seconds was out of the water rushing towards our car.”
Bill Klipp added “When photographing wildlife, the vehicle it is usually turned off to avoid the shake of the engine. As the Hippo got closer our guide started the car, revved the engine, and attempted to go in reverse. It was too late; he rose up, mouth wide open then clamped down on the front passenger side door, preventing the car from moving and us from escaping.”
Klipp says he was sitting 4-5 feet away from where the hippo bit into their vehicle. He believes the hippo might’ve been blind in one eye after reviewing their footage and he threw out the theory that the hippo attacked because it perceived their vehicle as another hippo attacking.
Writing about what it was like in that moment, wildlife photographer Bill Klipp said “one really doesn’t have a clue until a 7,000-10,000 pound animal crashes into and attacks your car.” The video, shared on For The Win by David Strege, has started going viral as more and more people see this stunning hippo attack footage.
Hippo facts? Hippo facts!
While ‘500 deadly attacks per year’ is the most commonly cited statistic, some sources say hippos account for up to 3,000 deaths per year across Africa.
They can weigh just shy of 10,000 pounds! Males typically weigh between 3,500 to 9,920 pounds and females typically max out around 3,000 pounds.
The IUCN estimated in 2022 that there are between 11,231–15,233 hippos in Botswana. That estimate is up fron 2,000-4,000 in 2016, marking a massive spike in population numbers. It also means that Botswana is believed to be home to one of the largest hippo populations in Africa.
Hippos eat roughly 88-110 pounds of food every night, or 1-1.5% of their total body weight. Let that sink in for a moment, how much food they must consume on a nightly basis. That brings us to an interesting fact about hippos. While they are not classified as a nocturnal animal the vast majority of their foraging/eating occurs at night.
As I’m sure you all know, there is an opportunity to see a large hippo population in the wild off the African continent. Pablo Escobar’s hippos in Colombia have famously grown unruly.