A stunning series of photographs captures the terrifying moment when a mother hippo bravely defends her newborn from a potential attack by an enormous elephant.
The incident unfolded during a safari at the Erindi Game Reserve in Namibia. Quintus Strauss, a seasoned photographer from Hoedspruit, Mopani, Zambia, was on site when he spotted a baby hippo frolicking with its mother. With his interest piqued, he decided to capture the peaceful scene.
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The tranquility was disrupted when an agitated elephant emerged from the surrounding landscape, heading straight for the young hippo in the water. Strauss quickly picked up his camera, unknowing of the extraordinary drama about to unfold.
Strauss documented the mother hippo’s courageous intervention in the ensuing photographs as she squared off with the mammoth intruder to protect her offspring.
The determined mother defended her baby against all odds, injuring the elephant’s upper trunk. The elephant, clearly in pain, retreated, leaving the mother and baby hippo to continue their day in peace.
Reflecting on the incident, Strauss recalled, “We had just returned from a morning game drive and were eating breakfast at the lodge, which overlooks a dam.
That’s when I noticed a hippo with her newborn baby. After breakfast, I was in my room reviewing the morning’s photos when I heard the alarming sound of an elephant’s trumpet and splashing water.
I rushed out to see an elephant chasing the mother hippo. I quickly grabbed my camera, and the elephant was advancing toward the baby hippo when I got back.
That’s when the mother hippo jumped into action. The fight ended with the elephant hurt on its upper trunk, likely from the hippo’s sharp teeth.
Afterward, everything returned to calm, and the mother and baby hippo carried on as if nothing had happened.”
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