A massive hippo charged a tour boat filled with tourists in Botswana, with the dramatic encounter captured on video. The incident occurred as the boat was traveling along a waterway.
Oznur Bell, a tourist who filmed the event, described the moment the group spotted a lone male hippo in the distance. The boat captain slowed down to avoid disturbing the animal, but soon realized the hippo was pursuing them. "After watching his behavior for a moment, he calmly said, ‘Hold on—we need to speed up now before he decides to come after us,’" Bell recounted. "The moment we accelerated, we looked back and realized the hippo was chasing us."
Hippos can grow up to 16.5 feet long and weigh between 3,500 and nearly 10,000 pounds. Despite being herbivores, they are known for their territorial nature and are considered dangerous. According to researchers at the University of Pretoria, hippos kill approximately 500 people in Africa annually, a number higher than those killed by lions.
Humans and boats can be perceived as threats to a hippo's territory. Hippos often propel themselves through shallow water by pushing off the bottom in a bounding motion, a technique that allowed the male hippo to pursue the boat at speed. Bell described the experience as "one of the most terrifying moments I’ve ever experienced," with every person on the boat expressing genuine worry during the chase before the hippo eventually broke off its pursuit.