Angry Chobe hippo chases down speedboat

Staff Writer | Monday January 19, 2015 17:17

 

A jaw-dropping video has emerged that captures the moment a hippopotamus chases down a tour boat in the Chobe, and nearly catches it.

In the jaw-dropping footage filmed by stunned tourist Clive Jackson while travelling along the Chobe River in the Chobe National Park on 6 January, the large hippo is filmed breaching out of the water just metres away from the boat’s engine. The video begins with the Pangolin Photo Safari tour boat travelling leisurely down the calm river, when cameraman Jackson spots the head of a hippo approximately 30 metres away.

The hippo then disappears under the water and makes a beeline for the boat, causing the tour’s leader to accelerate in  an attempt to escape the disgruntled mammal. After 15 seconds, the hippo then reappears launching itself out of the water just metres away from the boat.

The driver then revs the engine again and is eventually able to pull away from the animal. Since Malawian Style Safari and Adventure Holiday managing director Michael Varndell put the footage up on his Facebook page on Tuesday, the video has gone viral with thousands of internet users viewing it online.

Hippos are Africa’s most dangerous animal, killing more people each year than any other animal. According to the African Wildlife Foundation, they are estimated to be responsible for the deaths of around 3,000 humans per year.