Miraculously, a two-year-old boy survived after being swallowed by a rogue hippo in Uganda. The hippo spat the toddler out again after an onlooker threw stones at the animal, Capital FM Uganda reported on the basis of the police.
According to the outlet, the toddler was playing near his home on the shores of a lake in the town of Katwe Kabatoro on Dec. 4 when the hungry hippo grabbed him with its huge jaws. Before the animal could completely engulf him, Chrispas Bagonza, a bystander, began throwing stones at it. This caused it to “break” the boy again, Capital FM Uganda added.
Police identified the toddler as Iga Paul and said the animal grabbed him by the head and swallowed half his body. They added that the boy suffered hand injuries and was sent to hospital for further treatment. “The victim was immediately taken to a nearby clinic for treatment for hand injuries and later transferred to Bwera Hospital for further treatment. He made a full recovery and was discharged after receiving a rabies vaccine. He was then transferred to the parents by the police,” the Ugandan police added in a press release.
However, a police spokesperson warned parents who stay near animal sanctuaries such as lakes and wildlife centers to be wary of stray animals such as crocodiles and hippos that may attack them.
Read also: Old video of guard beating hippo at zoo goes viral
Hippos, despite being herbivores, can be extremely aggressive when threatened. They have also been observed charging and attacking boats and canoes. A few months ago, three lions attempting to cross a river at the spillway of Botswana’s Selinda Reserve were intercepted by an angry hippo. The Great Plains Conservation shared video of the incident on YouTube, calling it an “unforgettable moment”.
According to AZ Animals, there are about 500 human deaths per year in Africa due to hippo attacks. The number is remarkably large, surpassing almost any other animal on the planet. They add that hippos are among the deadliest land animals in the world.
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