Wildebeest saved from certain death by a group of hippos
A group of wildebeest at Gezantfombi Dam near Crocodile Bridge were saved from the deadly clutches of crocodiles by a group of benevolent hippos.
An outing at the Kruger National Park with Chasin' Africa Safaris ended with an unusual sighting. At a watering hole where the group had witnessed a heron "surfing" on a hippo's back moments before, conflict arose between a group of wildebeest and some crocodiles.
The leader of the safari group tells LatestSightings.com that they noticed the wildebeest edging close to the water, where the crocodiles were waiting to pounce.
"A huge crocodile jumped right out and immediately grabbed one of the wildebeest, keeping its jaws locked on the animals head," says the leader of the group.
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A second crocodile jumped into the mix, and with the hippos from nearby edging up to the action, surrounded the crocodiles, it did not look like there was much hope for the wildebeest.
The wildebeest manages to escape the grips of the crocodile and swims backward into the water. For a moment it appears as if the hippos also have designs on hunting the buck, but instead they keep the crocodile back and watch as the wildebeest swims to safety.
Nature being as unpredictable as it is, there is no way to tell why the hippos allowed the wildebeest to escape when they could have shared in the feast.
The leader of the safari group says watching the wildebeest fight for survival was exciting, but the experience did have a sad undertone: "Nature can be cruel but the circle of life must go on".
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