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Hippos are not one of the “Big 5” of Africa, but they are the third largest animal in Africa (behind the Elephant and Rhino) and considered the most dangerous. They fight to defend territory, to compete to mate, for dominance….honestly, they are seem to be relatively grumpy animals. But there is no denying that their bulk and power and awe-inspiring.
Zambia has a healthy population of hippos and I had the opportunity to spend time with them at river bank level. Regardless of their reputation, with the sun shining and temperatures climbing, the hippos were submerged in the river to keep cool. In the background of this picture, there is a hippo bystander who isn’t leaving the river even for a fight. The clash happened quickly with no warning above water that I could see. These two behemoths suddenly rose out of the water and hurled their bulk at each other. The wave of water is a testament to the speed of the movement. This was the first clash and as suddenly as it started, it ended.
