Safari tourists experienced some tense moments when they encountered an angry hippo in the middle of the road at the Manyoni Private Game Reserve in South Africa.
Driver and guide Sandiso recognized the hippo as one of the larger bulls in the area that is “known to be on the grumpier side,” and the assessment proved accurate.
“Sandiso could…tell by the hippo’s behavior that it was in no mood for company!” Latest Sightings wrote in its post on YouTube.
So Sandiso put the vehicle in reverse and began slowly backing up until the hippo broke into a “full-blown charge” toward the vehicle.
When the hippo lunged at the vehicle, Sandiso hit the gas, and managed to make a turn onto a dirt road, leaving the hippo in the dust.
“The reaction from everyone in the vehicle in the aftermath said it all: a brief moment of silence, followed by lots of nervous giggles and a very quiet Sandiso in the driver’s seat,” Latest Sightings reported.
“It’s safe to say that no one there will ever be forgetting this encounter. Thanks to experience and composure, everything ended in what probably is the best way possible. The hippo moved on safely, the vehicle was unharmed, and most importantly, everyone in the vehicle was completely all right.
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“At a time when many of us will be traveling to the bush for our end-of-year holidays, this serves as a reminder of just how cautious we need to be. The wild is truly wild!”
Photos courtesy of Latest Sightings.