Johan Robbertse sent this bizarre video to Latest Sightings after witnessing the incident at Pilanesberg National Park.
Splish-splash
This unusual sequence of behaviour begins innocently enough. Standing in a water hole, an elephant cow is vigorously agitating the water.
As she does, one can’t help but notice that she is giving it her all, in a rather aggressive way. Surely bath-time should be a relaxing affair.
After doing this for a while, it becomes apparent what she is trying to achieve. Drawing the soupy liquid into her trunk, she sprays it across her flanks.
Elephants frequently mud-bathe, a practice which helps cool them, protect their skin and remove parasites.
An important side note to this video is that the mud-bathing elephant has tusks, as seen in the above image.
Storming arrival
The video then cuts to a new scene. The elephant has left the water, and in its place, a lone hippo stands minding its own business.
Suddenly, an elephant comes storming onto the scene. We can tell by its flared ears and trumpeting that it is not happy.
After initially running past the hippo, the newcomer changes direction, heading directly for the hippo.
Sensing a threat, the hippo immediately starts to move away from the elephant. The elephant, meanwhile, enters the water, still barrelling straight towards the hippo.
Exceptional circumstances
Hippos have a reputation for territorial aggression, particularly in their water holes. However, these are exceptional circumstances.
The elephant is double its size, and the hippo decides that discretion is the better part of valour, and does its best to escape.
Different elephant
In the process, we learn something exceptional about the elephant. Unlike the first elephant, this one does not have tusks.
The absence of tusks is attributed to a genetic mutation, pressure from poaching, or a combination of the two. These elephants have a reputation for irritability, possibly due to their reduced ability to defend themselves.
Incidentally, we know this is a female elephant due to the presence of breasts between her forelegs and the angular profile of her forehead.
Relentless pursuit
As the hippo flees, the elephant attempts to grab its hind legs with its trunk. Somehow, the hippo manages to stay out of reach. In the background, a second hippo runs off to avoid the fracas.
Even as the hippo leaves the water, the elephant continues to chase it into the surrounding veld.
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Elephant herd flees
The camera then pans hard to the right, so we cannot be sure what happens between the pair. However, as it settles, it is apparent that the ruckus had disturbed the rest of the herd.
They too run off in the direction the other elephant and hippo were last seen going. Subsequently, the video cuts to a new scene.
Home sweet home
With an elephant ambling in pursuit, one of the two hippos trots back to the safety of the water.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to say which of the two hippos it is. We’re sure you’ll join us in hoping that both hippos made it safely back to their aquatic home.