A Ugandan toddler escaped death by a whisker after half of his boy was swallowed by a hippo.
The two-year-old boy, Iga Paul, was attacked by a hippopotamus close to the shores of Lake Edward, where he was playing.
Ugandan police said the hippo sprung from the waters and charged toward the boy, and grabbed him by the head before swallowing half of his body.
People nearby started screaming, and a local man, Chrispas Bagonza, began throwing stones at the massive mammal before it spat him out and retreated into the lake. Police said:
“It took the bravery of one Chrispas Bagonza, who was nearby, to save the victim after he stoned the hippo and scared it, causing it to release the victim from its mouth.
Although the hippo was scared back into the lake, all residents near animal sanctuaries and habitats should know those wild animals are very dangerous.”
After the attack, the toddler was taken to a nearby medical centre, where he was treated for his injuries. Later, he was moved to Bwera Hospital, where doctors gave him a precautionary rabies vaccine.
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However, Ugandan wildlife authorities disputed the police account of the events and told BBC that the boy was never swallowed but just attacked.
Police said the incident was the first time a hippo had moved from the lake and attacked a human.
Hippos, which can weigh up to 1,500kg, are estimated to kill around 500 people annually in Africa.
Ugandan police officers warned locals that hippos can “see humans as a threat” and said that “any interaction can cause them to act strangely or aggressively.”
Hippos are the third largest living land mammal, and their teeth can reach up to 50.8cm in length. Despite their size, they can also reach up to 32 km/h.
While the animals are herbivores, they can become highly aggressive when they feel threatened, or their habitats are disturbed
