After a hippopotamus in Uganda gobbled up half of a toddler’s body, the child somehow survived the attack.
On December 4, a young boy named Iga Paul was picked up by a hippo while he was playing at home in Rwenjubu cell, close to Lake Edward, according to the Uganda Police Force.
It took the bravery and courage on the part of a hero/good Samaritan, Chrispas Bagonza, to stone the hippo and scare it away in order to save the little boy. According to the Ugandan authorities, the Hippopotamus had already swallowed half of the victim’s body at that time.
A hippopotamus has never before attacked a young child after straying from the lake, according to the authorities.
The toddler received rabies vaccination after the incident, in addition to receiving medical attention for hand injuries. He has also made full recovery.
Police told residents of Katwe Kabatoro Town Council, which is located within Queen Elizabeth National Park on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to remain vigilant around hippos.
“Although the hippo was scared back into the lake, all residents near animal sanctuaries and habitats should know that wild animals are very dangerous,” Uganda Police said. “Instinctually, wild animals see humans as a threat and any interaction can cause them to act strangely or aggressively.”
Hippos are the second-largest land mammals on Earth, and they have a reputation for being aggressive, can snap a canoe in half with their strong jaws, according to National Geographic.
Hippopotamuses kill an estimated 500 people every year in Africa.
