Death In The Water

In this episode we saw what is possibly one of Africa’s greatest myths – that hippos are the most dangerous animals in Africa, and take more human lives than any other big game animal on the continent. While there is no doubt that hippo kill some people, the number of deaths attributable to hippo attacks is minimal in comparison to those of crocodiles, elephants and other wild animals. What we learn is that hippo, just like any animal, when pushed into a corner, when put under pressure, will fight back. Because of the massive size of the animal – which weighs several thousand pounds – its retaliation to pressure often has deadly consequences.

English