On a visit to the waterhole, a pack of African wild dogs encountered some hippos out of water. True to their nature, the dogs couldn’t help trying their luck with one of the young hippos.
Jarryd Walsh submitted this interesting footage to Latest Sightings. He filmed the action at Nyamundwa Dam in South Africa’s Kruger National Park.
Hippos out of water
We’re met with an interesting sight as we join Jarryd at the sighting. A pack of wild dogs that have come down to drink has found a herd of hippos out of the water.
Perhaps because hippos typically leave water at night, this might be a rare encounter for the dogs who are most active by day. Accordingly, their hunting instinct sees them become particularly curious about the smallest hippo.
Leaving Mom’s side
Perhaps for the same reason, the hippo calf is also curious about the dogs. Consequently, it leaves the safety of its mother’s side and walks towards the dogs.
For the predators who routinely try to isolate individuals when hunting, this only heightens their willingness to give it a go.
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Aggressive when threatened
Now, despite their roly-poly appearance, hippos are quite aggressive, particularly when they feel exposed out of water. So when one of the dogs gets a bit too close to the calf, it charges.
However, its speed is no match for the nimble-footed dogs that easily trot out of harm’s way. And it is just as well, as a hippo’s bite is one of the most powerful on the planet.
That said, the calf doesn’t have the massive canines of an adult. Regardless, the curious dogs still keep a safe distance.
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Emboldened
Perhaps emboldened by its earlier success, or simply out of playfulness, the calf once again advances towards the dogs. As it does, it opens its mouth in a threat gesture typical of the species.
With the dogs now showing no serious interest in attacking the calf, it seems it’s become a game for some of them too.
The fact that the other hippos remain unfazed by the action confirms this. Additionally, some of the dogs simply rest nearby. It’s safe to assume the hippos would return to the water if there were a real threat.
Losing interest
After a period of chasing each other back and forth, both parties seem to lose interest. Incidentally, there are no records of wild dogs actually hunting hippos.
For one thing, hippos, even their calves, are too big. Additionally, they have an incredibly thick hide that the dogs would struggle to break.
Nevertheless, as the video nears its end, we see the calf return to its herd, perhaps to brag about surviving an encounter with Africa’s most ruthless predator.
