A hippopotamus called Humphrey who became an internet sensation after being raised as a pet has mauled his keeper to death.
The animal, which weighs over a ton, reportedly bit Marius Els, dragged him into the water and killed him on his 400-acre farm in South Africa.
The man's mutilated body was found submerged in the river where years earlier the creature had been rescued from a flood.
Humphrey had learned to swim with humans and found a home with Els when it became too big for the people who had initially adopted him.
The 40-year-old farmer, who said the animal was like a "son" to him, was confirmed dead by medics early on Sunday morning.
Netcare 911 spokesman Jeffrey Wicks reported paramedics attended Els' home on the banks of the Vaal River in Free State province.
He said: "Paramedics responded to the scene to find that the man had been bitten several times by the animal.
"It had also been immersed in the river for an unknown period."
Humphrey, who is six, was found as a calf and had been raised as a pet in Free State.
Els built a bond with him that enabled the former army major to ride on his back, feed him and even brush his teeth.
But neighbours said there were signs Humphrey was perhaps not quite as docile as Els suggested, as he was spotted wandering off the farm and onto a nearby golf course.
Els said he returned when he was called.
"We tried to warn him, but he wouldn't listen," an unnamed neighbour was quoted as saying by the Afrikaans daily Beeld.
The hippo is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world, especially when young calves are present.
And it is often regarded as among the most dangerous animals in Africa.
Hippos are very aggressive towards humans, whom they commonly attack whether in boats or on land with no apparent provocation.
Read more here ...
Showing posts with label hippos. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hippos. Show all posts
Monday, November 21, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Request for hippo for India’s zoo
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
The Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) in Vandalur, India could soon get a female pygmy hippopotamus from the Dehiwala Zoo under the animal exchange programme, ending nearly two decades of wait, Times of India reports.
The zoo in Vandalur, some 31 km from Chennai, has two male pygmy hippos who have been without a mate since 1992. The National Zoological Gardens at Dehiwala in April saw the birth of three pygmy hippos.
“We have sought from them (Colombo Zoo authorities) a female hippo under the animal exchange programme and are expecting a positive response,” India’s zoo director and chief conservator of forests KSSVP Reddy told The Times of India.
Currently, there is no animal exchange programme between the two zoos. But if the deal comes through, it will be a big boost for the captive breeding programme at the park, Indian zoo authorities said. Modalities, including the mode of transportation and the animals that have to be given in return by the Vandalur zoo, will be worked out once a formal letter of willingness is received.
“Once their willingness is conveyed to us, we will request union environment and forests ministry and the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for clearance and a health certificate for the endangered animal mandatory for species brought from abroad,” said zoo sources.
At present, the Vandalur zoo has two male pygmy hippos, 19-year-old Bharati and his father Chubbi. The latter came with a female hippo from the Honolulu zoo in the US in 1990. Two years later, after the birth of Bharati, the mother hippo died. Since then, the two have remained without females.
The widespread prevalence of the foot-and-mouth disease, common among hippos, and bird flu in some western countries convinced the zoo authorities to search for hippos in countries with similar climate and environment, and less cumbersome processes in this regard.
Pygmy hippos, originally inhabitants of West Africa are monogamous and nocturnal herbivores. They have in captivity a lifespan of up to 55 years.
Courtesy Times of India
http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/05/24/news52.asp
The Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP) in Vandalur, India could soon get a female pygmy hippopotamus from the Dehiwala Zoo under the animal exchange programme, ending nearly two decades of wait, Times of India reports.
The zoo in Vandalur, some 31 km from Chennai, has two male pygmy hippos who have been without a mate since 1992. The National Zoological Gardens at Dehiwala in April saw the birth of three pygmy hippos.
“We have sought from them (Colombo Zoo authorities) a female hippo under the animal exchange programme and are expecting a positive response,” India’s zoo director and chief conservator of forests KSSVP Reddy told The Times of India.
Currently, there is no animal exchange programme between the two zoos. But if the deal comes through, it will be a big boost for the captive breeding programme at the park, Indian zoo authorities said. Modalities, including the mode of transportation and the animals that have to be given in return by the Vandalur zoo, will be worked out once a formal letter of willingness is received.
“Once their willingness is conveyed to us, we will request union environment and forests ministry and the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for clearance and a health certificate for the endangered animal mandatory for species brought from abroad,” said zoo sources.
At present, the Vandalur zoo has two male pygmy hippos, 19-year-old Bharati and his father Chubbi. The latter came with a female hippo from the Honolulu zoo in the US in 1990. Two years later, after the birth of Bharati, the mother hippo died. Since then, the two have remained without females.
The widespread prevalence of the foot-and-mouth disease, common among hippos, and bird flu in some western countries convinced the zoo authorities to search for hippos in countries with similar climate and environment, and less cumbersome processes in this regard.
Pygmy hippos, originally inhabitants of West Africa are monogamous and nocturnal herbivores. They have in captivity a lifespan of up to 55 years.
Courtesy Times of India
http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/05/24/news52.asp
Friday, November 12, 2010
The helpful hippo that rescues helpless animals from Mara river
Visitors to a safari camp close to where the film Out Of Africa was shot stood in awe as they witnessed the annual wildebeest migration.
But as they watched thousands of animals cross the raging Mara river they were astonished to see a hippo come to the rescue of two drowning stragglers.
The strong current separated a wildebeest, or gnu, from her calf and she watched helplessly as it was swept away.
‘To everyone’s amazement the hippo came to the gnu’s rescue and pushed it gently to the river bank,’ said Abdul Karim, the head guide at Sanctuary Olonana in the Masai Mara, Kenya.
The infant panted for a moment before getting up and running to its watching mother.
But the female hippo’s work did not finish there. Within ten minutes she spotted a little zebra crossing the same stretch of water and pushed it across, its tiny head struggling to keep above the torrent.
It was an unforgettable incident,’ said Mr Karim.
‘Maternal love can be so strong it can even surpass species boundaries,’ he added.
Huge concentrations of game move between Kenya and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park every year in the constant search for fresh grazing.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/846823-the-helpful-hippo-that-rescues-helpless-animals#ixzz155HZncdL
But as they watched thousands of animals cross the raging Mara river they were astonished to see a hippo come to the rescue of two drowning stragglers.
The strong current separated a wildebeest, or gnu, from her calf and she watched helplessly as it was swept away.
‘To everyone’s amazement the hippo came to the gnu’s rescue and pushed it gently to the river bank,’ said Abdul Karim, the head guide at Sanctuary Olonana in the Masai Mara, Kenya.
The infant panted for a moment before getting up and running to its watching mother.
But the female hippo’s work did not finish there. Within ten minutes she spotted a little zebra crossing the same stretch of water and pushed it across, its tiny head struggling to keep above the torrent.
It was an unforgettable incident,’ said Mr Karim.
‘Maternal love can be so strong it can even surpass species boundaries,’ he added.
Huge concentrations of game move between Kenya and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park every year in the constant search for fresh grazing.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/846823-the-helpful-hippo-that-rescues-helpless-animals#ixzz155HZncdL
The helpful hippo that rescues helpless animals from Mara river
Visitors to a safari camp close to where the film Out Of Africa was shot stood in awe as they witnessed the annual wildebeest migration.
But as they watched thousands of animals cross the raging Mara river they were astonished to see a hippo come to the rescue of two drowning stragglers.
The strong current separated a wildebeest, or gnu, from her calf and she watched helplessly as it was swept away.
‘To everyone’s amazement the hippo came to the gnu’s rescue and pushed it gently to the river bank,’ said Abdul Karim, the head guide at Sanctuary Olonana in the Masai Mara, Kenya.
The infant panted for a moment before getting up and running to its watching mother.
But the female hippo’s work did not finish there. Within ten minutes she spotted a little zebra crossing the same stretch of water and pushed it across, its tiny head struggling to keep above the torrent.
It was an unforgettable incident,’ said Mr Karim.
‘Maternal love can be so strong it can even surpass species boundaries,’ he added.
Huge concentrations of game move between Kenya and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park every year in the constant search for fresh grazing.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/846823-the-helpful-hippo-that-rescues-helpless-animals#ixzz155HZncdL
But as they watched thousands of animals cross the raging Mara river they were astonished to see a hippo come to the rescue of two drowning stragglers.
The strong current separated a wildebeest, or gnu, from her calf and she watched helplessly as it was swept away.
‘To everyone’s amazement the hippo came to the gnu’s rescue and pushed it gently to the river bank,’ said Abdul Karim, the head guide at Sanctuary Olonana in the Masai Mara, Kenya.
The infant panted for a moment before getting up and running to its watching mother.
But the female hippo’s work did not finish there. Within ten minutes she spotted a little zebra crossing the same stretch of water and pushed it across, its tiny head struggling to keep above the torrent.
It was an unforgettable incident,’ said Mr Karim.
‘Maternal love can be so strong it can even surpass species boundaries,’ he added.
Huge concentrations of game move between Kenya and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park every year in the constant search for fresh grazing.
http://www.metro.co.uk/weird/846823-the-helpful-hippo-that-rescues-helpless-animals#ixzz155HZncdL
Sunday, October 3, 2010
I've heard of pink elephants, but this is ridiculous: Amazing images of rare pink hippopotamus captured in Masai Mara
Last updated at 9:40 AM on 1st October 2010
Wading through the muddy waters this rare pink-o-pottamus stands out from the crowd.
British brothers and wildlife photographers Will and Matt Burrard-Lucas captured these images of the brightly coloured hippo in the Masai Mara, Kenya, last week.
Visiting the African country on the hunt to photograph the legendary wildebeest migration the Londoners were in for a treat when rumours of a pink hippo surfaced.
'Our guide had mentioned that he had heard rumours of this rare hippo from a fellow guide, however, he was not told where it lived and he had never come across it before,' explains 26-year-old Will.
'After a rather uneventful morning, we stopped on the banks of the Mara River for a picnic breakfast.
'After a while, to our great surprise, we spotted the pink hippo emerge on to the far bank of the river.
'We dropped everything and reached for our cameras!'
Racing up to a bank on the river, the brothers positioned themselves a few hundred yards from the young hippo, so not to disturb it.
'It was a young one as it is much smaller than the other hippos and always stayed close to its mother,' said Will.
'It was nice to see the other hippos treated it no differently to any other.
'The pink hippo seemed perfectly happy as it bumbled around on the shore and other than its skin, was no different to any other hippo.
'It was out on the shore for 10 minutes or less. After that we spotted his pink head surface above the water every few minutes as he came up for air.
'It was also very shy and after spotting us it hid behind its mother before disappearing into the water.'
Excited by their discovery the brothers returned to the UK this week, eager to find out more about the rare hippo.
Will continued: 'On returning to the UK I have spent a morning researching the condition in order to find out how rare this creature really is and what caused the extraordinary coloration.
'I found just a handful of recorded instances of pink hippos in Uganda but never in the Mara.
'It turns out the hippo is "leucistic" [a condition characterised by reduced pigmentation in animals and humans], and not an albino since it does have some pigmented spots and dark eyes.
'Usually leucistic and albino animals do not survive in the wild as they are very visible to predators and they get serious sunburn.
'However, once hippos are large enough they are rarely attacked by predators, and uniquely, their sweat acts as a sunscreen which means a pink hippo can survive perfectly well in the wild!'
For Will though, the encounter proved how wildlife can continue to surprise and amaze.
'It was very exciting, particularly in Africa, where it seems that every animal has been photographed to death,' he added.
'As we were taking the pictures were not sure if anyone else had already photographed the animal or how rare a pink hippo really is, so it wasn't until we got back to the UK and did some research that we realised how special our pictures really were.
'This was obviously a unique encounter but it never ceases to amaze me how often wildlife surprises us... no matter how much time we spend photographing animals.
'When we are out in the field there is seldom a day that goes by where we don't observe some surprising aspect of behaviour or a unique individual that we have never come across before.
'Ultimately this is one reason why we find watching and photographing wildlife so fulfilling.'
More photos: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315917/Rare-pink-hippo-images-captured-Masai-Mara-Kenya.html#ixzz11InA559S
I've heard of pink elephants, but this is ridiculous: Amazing images of rare pink hippopotamus captured in Masai Mara
Last updated at 9:40 AM on 1st October 2010
Wading through the muddy waters this rare pink-o-pottamus stands out from the crowd.
British brothers and wildlife photographers Will and Matt Burrard-Lucas captured these images of the brightly coloured hippo in the Masai Mara, Kenya, last week.
Visiting the African country on the hunt to photograph the legendary wildebeest migration the Londoners were in for a treat when rumours of a pink hippo surfaced.
'Our guide had mentioned that he had heard rumours of this rare hippo from a fellow guide, however, he was not told where it lived and he had never come across it before,' explains 26-year-old Will.
'After a rather uneventful morning, we stopped on the banks of the Mara River for a picnic breakfast.
'After a while, to our great surprise, we spotted the pink hippo emerge on to the far bank of the river.
'We dropped everything and reached for our cameras!'
Racing up to a bank on the river, the brothers positioned themselves a few hundred yards from the young hippo, so not to disturb it.
'It was a young one as it is much smaller than the other hippos and always stayed close to its mother,' said Will.
'It was nice to see the other hippos treated it no differently to any other.
'The pink hippo seemed perfectly happy as it bumbled around on the shore and other than its skin, was no different to any other hippo.
'It was out on the shore for 10 minutes or less. After that we spotted his pink head surface above the water every few minutes as he came up for air.
'It was also very shy and after spotting us it hid behind its mother before disappearing into the water.'
Excited by their discovery the brothers returned to the UK this week, eager to find out more about the rare hippo.
Will continued: 'On returning to the UK I have spent a morning researching the condition in order to find out how rare this creature really is and what caused the extraordinary coloration.
'I found just a handful of recorded instances of pink hippos in Uganda but never in the Mara.
'It turns out the hippo is "leucistic" [a condition characterised by reduced pigmentation in animals and humans], and not an albino since it does have some pigmented spots and dark eyes.
'Usually leucistic and albino animals do not survive in the wild as they are very visible to predators and they get serious sunburn.
'However, once hippos are large enough they are rarely attacked by predators, and uniquely, their sweat acts as a sunscreen which means a pink hippo can survive perfectly well in the wild!'
For Will though, the encounter proved how wildlife can continue to surprise and amaze.
'It was very exciting, particularly in Africa, where it seems that every animal has been photographed to death,' he added.
'As we were taking the pictures were not sure if anyone else had already photographed the animal or how rare a pink hippo really is, so it wasn't until we got back to the UK and did some research that we realised how special our pictures really were.
'This was obviously a unique encounter but it never ceases to amaze me how often wildlife surprises us... no matter how much time we spend photographing animals.
'When we are out in the field there is seldom a day that goes by where we don't observe some surprising aspect of behaviour or a unique individual that we have never come across before.
'Ultimately this is one reason why we find watching and photographing wildlife so fulfilling.'
More photos: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1315917/Rare-pink-hippo-images-captured-Masai-Mara-Kenya.html#ixzz11InA559S
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Hippo swims away from flooded Montenegrin zoo, shocks villagers by strolling past their homes
Jan 12, 8:07 AM EST
PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) -- A hippo escaped from a flooded private zoo in Montenegro on Tuesday, shocking villagers who found her strolling near their homes.
Even more shocking, the zoo owner plans to wait a bit before trying to recapture the 2-ton hippo named Nikica.
Nikica escaped as heavy rains sent water flooding through the zoo, raising the water level in her pen and allowing her to swim over the top of the cage surrounding it. The 11-year-old hippo made her way to the hamlet of Plavnica on Skadar Lake in southern Montenegro, where she was still walking around Tuesday afternoon.
"When I got out from my house to feed my cow, I saw a hippo standing in front of the stall," said villager Nikola Radovic. "I thought I was going mad."
The massive animals, which spend much of their days submerged in water, are considered one of the most dangerous animals in the world.
Hippos, native to Africa, are the third-largest land animals, after elephants and white rhinos. They can weigh up to 3 1/2 tons and are plant eaters. They are also intelligent, fiercely territorial, can run faster than the average human over short distances, and have powerful teeth and jaws.
But zoo owner Dragan Pejovic said he plans to wait until the water levels drops before he attempts to recapture Nikica.
"Of course, we will not be able to bring her back until the water recedes," he said, without further explanation. "There is no reason for panic."
"Our hippo is a peaceful and tame animal," Pejovic said, adding that she had lived in his zoo for nine years without causing any trouble to villagers.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_MONTENEGRO_HIPPO_ESCAPES?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
(Submitted by D.R. Shoop)
PODGORICA, Montenegro (AP) -- A hippo escaped from a flooded private zoo in Montenegro on Tuesday, shocking villagers who found her strolling near their homes.
Even more shocking, the zoo owner plans to wait a bit before trying to recapture the 2-ton hippo named Nikica.
Nikica escaped as heavy rains sent water flooding through the zoo, raising the water level in her pen and allowing her to swim over the top of the cage surrounding it. The 11-year-old hippo made her way to the hamlet of Plavnica on Skadar Lake in southern Montenegro, where she was still walking around Tuesday afternoon.
"When I got out from my house to feed my cow, I saw a hippo standing in front of the stall," said villager Nikola Radovic. "I thought I was going mad."
The massive animals, which spend much of their days submerged in water, are considered one of the most dangerous animals in the world.
Hippos, native to Africa, are the third-largest land animals, after elephants and white rhinos. They can weigh up to 3 1/2 tons and are plant eaters. They are also intelligent, fiercely territorial, can run faster than the average human over short distances, and have powerful teeth and jaws.
But zoo owner Dragan Pejovic said he plans to wait until the water levels drops before he attempts to recapture Nikica.
"Of course, we will not be able to bring her back until the water recedes," he said, without further explanation. "There is no reason for panic."
"Our hippo is a peaceful and tame animal," Pejovic said, adding that she had lived in his zoo for nine years without causing any trouble to villagers.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_MONTENEGRO_HIPPO_ESCAPES?SITE=WIMIL&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
(Submitted by D.R. Shoop)
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Safari Park Seeks New Homes For Hippos
11:50am UK, Wednesday December 23, 2009Dominic Waghorn, Middle East correspondent
A safari park in Israel is looking for loving homes for hippos this festive season after a baby boom among its residents.
"Mud, mud, glorious mud. Nothing quite like it for cooling the blood," goes the song, but the opposite seems to be true at Ramat Gan safari park near Tel Aviv.
An abundance of mud and other factors seem to have warmed the ardour of its hippos to boiling point.
The park has undergone a breeding bonanza and is now coping with a surplus of the huge riverine beasts.
"They are very fertile animals." Safari zoologist Amelia Turkel told Sky News.
"The pregnancy is short for such large animals. It's only eight months. So a female can have one calf every year."
Ms Turkel and colleagues believe the warm Israeli sunshine and the park's watering hole ape conditions in Africa so well that the hippos are as relaxed and amorous as they would be in the wild.
What began as a group of five hippos is now a herd of more than 40.
The hippo baby boom at Ramat Gan has required urgent and extreme remedies.
As with humans, too many hippos in one place causes social problems.
"We were having social issues with them so it was a good thing to try and see if we could find homes for the young males and young females," the zoologist said of the fights that began breaking out between young adults.
"We could see the results of these fights because they would be scarred up the next morning.
"They have these enormous incisors and there are four of them in their mouths. (They are) very wide and very sharp and these teeth can inflict serious damage on other hippos."
The solution has been to ship the surplus hippos to loving homes in zoos worldwide making Ramat Gan the world's biggest exporter of the animals.
It is no easy task. The hippos must be sedated at night as far away as possible from the park's lake to avoid them running into the water and drowning.
The three-and-a-half-ton beasts are then lifted by bulldozer and put in crates. The smaller ones can be flown overseas. Bigger ones go by ship.
Fourteen hippos have been sent to countries as far and wide as Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Turkey and Ukraine.
There is apparently a long waiting list, but with Ramat Gan's enviably high breeding rate, there are plenty more where they came from.
See video and photo gallery at: http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/World-News/Tel-Avivs-Ramat-Gan-Safari-Park-Looking-For-New-Homes-After-Hippo-Breeding-Excess/Article/200912415507016?f=rss
Friday, December 11, 2009
Baby Pygmy Hippo born at Colchester Zoo
December 10, 2009 6:18 PMA UK zoo is celebrating the rare birth of baby pygmy hippo - by releasing these photos of the cute critter.
The healthy female - who has not yet been named - was born to her eight-year-old mother Venus on Friday the 27th November and has been getting on well since then.
Staff at Colchester Zoo say she has been running around the pen and settling in nicely. They will now weigh her every day to ensure that she continues to mature at a healthy rate.
Currently the pocket-sized hippopotamus weighs just 8kg but she will grow to 20 times that size... though that is still a fraction of what most hippos (and people who stay at home looking at pictures of cute animals on the internet) weigh.
A spokesperson for the zoo said: "Mother and baby have been doing well and have built a tight bond with the baby suckling strongly."Venus has proven herself to be an excellent mother constantly checking to keep her baby in her sight."
http://newslite.tv/2009/12/10/pygmy-hippo-birth-day-at-colch.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newslite+%28news%3Alite.tv%29
Baby Pygmy Hippo born at Colchester Zoo
December 10, 2009 6:18 PMA UK zoo is celebrating the rare birth of baby pygmy hippo - by releasing these photos of the cute critter.
The healthy female - who has not yet been named - was born to her eight-year-old mother Venus on Friday the 27th November and has been getting on well since then.
Staff at Colchester Zoo say she has been running around the pen and settling in nicely. They will now weigh her every day to ensure that she continues to mature at a healthy rate.
Currently the pocket-sized hippopotamus weighs just 8kg but she will grow to 20 times that size... though that is still a fraction of what most hippos (and people who stay at home looking at pictures of cute animals on the internet) weigh.
A spokesperson for the zoo said: "Mother and baby have been doing well and have built a tight bond with the baby suckling strongly."Venus has proven herself to be an excellent mother constantly checking to keep her baby in her sight."
http://newslite.tv/2009/12/10/pygmy-hippo-birth-day-at-colch.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+newslite+%28news%3Alite.tv%29
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
New attractions at zoo soon
Monday, 30 November 2009
Chamikara Weerasinghe
Arrangements have been made to bring 12 penguins from Japan and two pairs of lion cubs from China and Armenia to be exhibited at the National Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala, Director Duminda Jayalath said.
Jayalath said negotiations are under way with the Zoological Gardens in Japan, China and Armenia.
Some animals would be sent to the new zoo being built at Pinnawala in an area of 53 acres, he said.
"Animals will not be purchased. They will be obtained by way of an animal exchange that takes place between the countries," he said.
Meanwhile, the National Zoological Gardens has come under fire by various groups and individuals for neglecting its duty to animals.
Two lions and meerkats have died at Dehiwala Zoological Gardens this year.
Admitting the incidents, Jayalath said several animals including two lions, two meerkats, one tapir, one baby pygmy hippo and a riverine hippo died at the Zoological Garden, Dehiwala due to old age and 'not' due to negligence.
Referring to the deaths of two lions at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens, he said these lions have lived at the zoo for 22 years. The average life span of a lion is between 15 to 22 years, he said.
He dismissed that the animals have died due to negligence of the authorities.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/30/news11.asp
Chamikara Weerasinghe
Arrangements have been made to bring 12 penguins from Japan and two pairs of lion cubs from China and Armenia to be exhibited at the National Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala, Director Duminda Jayalath said.
Jayalath said negotiations are under way with the Zoological Gardens in Japan, China and Armenia.
Some animals would be sent to the new zoo being built at Pinnawala in an area of 53 acres, he said.
"Animals will not be purchased. They will be obtained by way of an animal exchange that takes place between the countries," he said.
Meanwhile, the National Zoological Gardens has come under fire by various groups and individuals for neglecting its duty to animals.
Two lions and meerkats have died at Dehiwala Zoological Gardens this year.
Admitting the incidents, Jayalath said several animals including two lions, two meerkats, one tapir, one baby pygmy hippo and a riverine hippo died at the Zoological Garden, Dehiwala due to old age and 'not' due to negligence.
Referring to the deaths of two lions at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens, he said these lions have lived at the zoo for 22 years. The average life span of a lion is between 15 to 22 years, he said.
He dismissed that the animals have died due to negligence of the authorities.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/30/news11.asp
New attractions at zoo soon
Monday, 30 November 2009
Chamikara Weerasinghe
Arrangements have been made to bring 12 penguins from Japan and two pairs of lion cubs from China and Armenia to be exhibited at the National Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala, Director Duminda Jayalath said.
Jayalath said negotiations are under way with the Zoological Gardens in Japan, China and Armenia.
Some animals would be sent to the new zoo being built at Pinnawala in an area of 53 acres, he said.
"Animals will not be purchased. They will be obtained by way of an animal exchange that takes place between the countries," he said.
Meanwhile, the National Zoological Gardens has come under fire by various groups and individuals for neglecting its duty to animals.
Two lions and meerkats have died at Dehiwala Zoological Gardens this year.
Admitting the incidents, Jayalath said several animals including two lions, two meerkats, one tapir, one baby pygmy hippo and a riverine hippo died at the Zoological Garden, Dehiwala due to old age and 'not' due to negligence.
Referring to the deaths of two lions at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens, he said these lions have lived at the zoo for 22 years. The average life span of a lion is between 15 to 22 years, he said.
He dismissed that the animals have died due to negligence of the authorities.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/30/news11.asp
Chamikara Weerasinghe
Arrangements have been made to bring 12 penguins from Japan and two pairs of lion cubs from China and Armenia to be exhibited at the National Zoological Gardens, Dehiwala, Director Duminda Jayalath said.
Jayalath said negotiations are under way with the Zoological Gardens in Japan, China and Armenia.
Some animals would be sent to the new zoo being built at Pinnawala in an area of 53 acres, he said.
"Animals will not be purchased. They will be obtained by way of an animal exchange that takes place between the countries," he said.
Meanwhile, the National Zoological Gardens has come under fire by various groups and individuals for neglecting its duty to animals.
Two lions and meerkats have died at Dehiwala Zoological Gardens this year.
Admitting the incidents, Jayalath said several animals including two lions, two meerkats, one tapir, one baby pygmy hippo and a riverine hippo died at the Zoological Garden, Dehiwala due to old age and 'not' due to negligence.
Referring to the deaths of two lions at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens, he said these lions have lived at the zoo for 22 years. The average life span of a lion is between 15 to 22 years, he said.
He dismissed that the animals have died due to negligence of the authorities.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2009/11/30/news11.asp
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Best wildlife videos: animals attack
Photos of a crocodile attacked by hippos have amazed wildlife enthusiasts and thrilled lovers of the natural world. Here we showcase the best online videos of animals attacking other animals.
By Harriet Alexander
Published: 6:51PM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Simba and his Disney friends may have convinced us that the natural world is populated by fluffy cute animals, but in truth it really is a jungle out there - as these hit videos show.
Over 47 million people have seen the epic video entitled The Battle at Kruger, which shows a baby water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions.
As the lions drive their prey into a lake, a crocodile emerges to try and steal the animal from the jaws of the lions, before the whole herd of buffalos return - with spectacular results.
Almost speechless, the guide tells the group of tourists: "I've never seen anything like this before."
Another dramatic battle, viewed over 10 million times, sees an anaconda wrestling with a panther.
The sleek black animal thrashes in the water with the giant snake, which writhes and squirms in the panther's claws until it is finished off by a jaguar.
But it is not all bad YouTube news for the snake kingdom.
In this National Geographic video, seen six million times, an anaconda hunts down a capybara in Venezuela.
The anaconda, which can grow up to 7.5 metres long, tracks the rodent before launching a lightening-fast strike and coiling round its helpless prey.
In colder climes, leopard seals and penguins engage in a tactical battle on the ice.
One penguin plays dead to be able to slither away when the seal loosens its grip, only for the resourceful seal to then lie in wait for more emperor penguins to jump into its jaws.
In Argentina, two killer whale brothers launch themselves onto the beach to snatch sea lion cubs, before returning to the deeper water and throwing their prey through the air.
But if the brutal reality of the natural world proves too much, then this clip of a monkey teasing a tiger - complete with comedy sound effects - will help. The cheeky monkey swings through the trees, dropping down to cuff the bemused animal on its head and pull its tail.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6583574/Best-wildlife-videos-animals-attack.html
By Harriet Alexander
Published: 6:51PM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Simba and his Disney friends may have convinced us that the natural world is populated by fluffy cute animals, but in truth it really is a jungle out there - as these hit videos show.
Over 47 million people have seen the epic video entitled The Battle at Kruger, which shows a baby water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions.
As the lions drive their prey into a lake, a crocodile emerges to try and steal the animal from the jaws of the lions, before the whole herd of buffalos return - with spectacular results.
Almost speechless, the guide tells the group of tourists: "I've never seen anything like this before."
Another dramatic battle, viewed over 10 million times, sees an anaconda wrestling with a panther.
The sleek black animal thrashes in the water with the giant snake, which writhes and squirms in the panther's claws until it is finished off by a jaguar.
But it is not all bad YouTube news for the snake kingdom.
In this National Geographic video, seen six million times, an anaconda hunts down a capybara in Venezuela.
The anaconda, which can grow up to 7.5 metres long, tracks the rodent before launching a lightening-fast strike and coiling round its helpless prey.
In colder climes, leopard seals and penguins engage in a tactical battle on the ice.
One penguin plays dead to be able to slither away when the seal loosens its grip, only for the resourceful seal to then lie in wait for more emperor penguins to jump into its jaws.
In Argentina, two killer whale brothers launch themselves onto the beach to snatch sea lion cubs, before returning to the deeper water and throwing their prey through the air.
But if the brutal reality of the natural world proves too much, then this clip of a monkey teasing a tiger - complete with comedy sound effects - will help. The cheeky monkey swings through the trees, dropping down to cuff the bemused animal on its head and pull its tail.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6583574/Best-wildlife-videos-animals-attack.html
Best wildlife videos: animals attack
Photos of a crocodile attacked by hippos have amazed wildlife enthusiasts and thrilled lovers of the natural world. Here we showcase the best online videos of animals attacking other animals.
By Harriet Alexander
Published: 6:51PM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Simba and his Disney friends may have convinced us that the natural world is populated by fluffy cute animals, but in truth it really is a jungle out there - as these hit videos show.
Over 47 million people have seen the epic video entitled The Battle at Kruger, which shows a baby water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions.
As the lions drive their prey into a lake, a crocodile emerges to try and steal the animal from the jaws of the lions, before the whole herd of buffalos return - with spectacular results.
Almost speechless, the guide tells the group of tourists: "I've never seen anything like this before."
Another dramatic battle, viewed over 10 million times, sees an anaconda wrestling with a panther.
The sleek black animal thrashes in the water with the giant snake, which writhes and squirms in the panther's claws until it is finished off by a jaguar.
But it is not all bad YouTube news for the snake kingdom.
In this National Geographic video, seen six million times, an anaconda hunts down a capybara in Venezuela.
The anaconda, which can grow up to 7.5 metres long, tracks the rodent before launching a lightening-fast strike and coiling round its helpless prey.
In colder climes, leopard seals and penguins engage in a tactical battle on the ice.
One penguin plays dead to be able to slither away when the seal loosens its grip, only for the resourceful seal to then lie in wait for more emperor penguins to jump into its jaws.
In Argentina, two killer whale brothers launch themselves onto the beach to snatch sea lion cubs, before returning to the deeper water and throwing their prey through the air.
But if the brutal reality of the natural world proves too much, then this clip of a monkey teasing a tiger - complete with comedy sound effects - will help. The cheeky monkey swings through the trees, dropping down to cuff the bemused animal on its head and pull its tail.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6583574/Best-wildlife-videos-animals-attack.html
By Harriet Alexander
Published: 6:51PM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Simba and his Disney friends may have convinced us that the natural world is populated by fluffy cute animals, but in truth it really is a jungle out there - as these hit videos show.
Over 47 million people have seen the epic video entitled The Battle at Kruger, which shows a baby water buffalo being attacked by a pride of lions.
As the lions drive their prey into a lake, a crocodile emerges to try and steal the animal from the jaws of the lions, before the whole herd of buffalos return - with spectacular results.
Almost speechless, the guide tells the group of tourists: "I've never seen anything like this before."
Another dramatic battle, viewed over 10 million times, sees an anaconda wrestling with a panther.
The sleek black animal thrashes in the water with the giant snake, which writhes and squirms in the panther's claws until it is finished off by a jaguar.
But it is not all bad YouTube news for the snake kingdom.
In this National Geographic video, seen six million times, an anaconda hunts down a capybara in Venezuela.
The anaconda, which can grow up to 7.5 metres long, tracks the rodent before launching a lightening-fast strike and coiling round its helpless prey.
In colder climes, leopard seals and penguins engage in a tactical battle on the ice.
One penguin plays dead to be able to slither away when the seal loosens its grip, only for the resourceful seal to then lie in wait for more emperor penguins to jump into its jaws.
In Argentina, two killer whale brothers launch themselves onto the beach to snatch sea lion cubs, before returning to the deeper water and throwing their prey through the air.
But if the brutal reality of the natural world proves too much, then this clip of a monkey teasing a tiger - complete with comedy sound effects - will help. The cheeky monkey swings through the trees, dropping down to cuff the bemused animal on its head and pull its tail.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6583574/Best-wildlife-videos-animals-attack.html
Pygmy hippo could be tip of iceberg
RIGHT: CUTE LITTLE FELLA: Kumbe - thought to be the brother of the pygmy hippo shot at Douglas Daly on the weekend - was one of four pygmy hippos moved to Tipperary Station from the Pearl Coast Zoo at Broome in 1991MATT CUNNINGHAM and ANNIE SANSON
November 17th, 2009
STRANGE animal sightings have been commonplace in the area where a pygmy hippopotamus was shot on the weekend, locals said yesterday.
Douglas Daly residents say they have seen strange animals wandering around for years.
"We drove past there once and saw a couple of deer and about 500m away there was a thing - too big for a pig," one resident said.
"We thought it must have been a baby buffalo that looked a bit strange, but looking back now it easily could have been the hippo, as that's how the thing looked like - but you don't expect to see a hippo in the Australian bush, so we didn't worry about the 'little weird looking buffalo' too much."
Nico Courtney accidentally shot the pygmy hippo after mistaking it for a wild pig while out hunting on Saturday night.
The hippo is believed to have escaped from the Tipperary Station Wildlife Sanctuary - then owned by multi-millionaire Warren Anderson - after it was closed in 2003.
Most of the animals were moved to a zoo in Queensland, but at least one was left behind.
The station's former curator of operations Kevin Langham left the sanctuary three years before operations were wound up.
He said he was shocked the hippo had been left behind.
"It's rather strange that they would have left it behind," he said.
"The area they were kept in was quite small and the (hippos) were very territorial. Even it it had escaped it wouldn't have gone very far and wouldn't have been a very difficult animal to capture.
"The other interesting thing is, if they are out there, what else is out there?"
Former zookeeper Christine Baker said she believed the hippo was one of four that were brought to Tipperary Station from the Pearl Coast Zoo at Broome in 1991.
She said there was a breeding pair and two juveniles bought to Tipperary after the WA zoo closed down.
"This is probably the daughter, who would be 18," she said. "I had no idea that any of the stock at Tipperary had escaped."
But former Tipperary Station manager David Warriner, who took over after the sanctuary closed, said it was well known that a hippo had escaped. "It's been there for years obviously," he said.
"It escaped out of the zoo while they were shifting all the animals.
"It was just assumed that it had died, but there was one missing when they shifted all the animals."
Mr Anderson could not be contacted yesterday.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/11/17/101511_ntnews.html
(Submitted by Peter)
Pygmy hippo could be tip of iceberg
RIGHT: CUTE LITTLE FELLA: Kumbe - thought to be the brother of the pygmy hippo shot at Douglas Daly on the weekend - was one of four pygmy hippos moved to Tipperary Station from the Pearl Coast Zoo at Broome in 1991MATT CUNNINGHAM and ANNIE SANSON
November 17th, 2009
STRANGE animal sightings have been commonplace in the area where a pygmy hippopotamus was shot on the weekend, locals said yesterday.
Douglas Daly residents say they have seen strange animals wandering around for years.
"We drove past there once and saw a couple of deer and about 500m away there was a thing - too big for a pig," one resident said.
"We thought it must have been a baby buffalo that looked a bit strange, but looking back now it easily could have been the hippo, as that's how the thing looked like - but you don't expect to see a hippo in the Australian bush, so we didn't worry about the 'little weird looking buffalo' too much."
Nico Courtney accidentally shot the pygmy hippo after mistaking it for a wild pig while out hunting on Saturday night.
The hippo is believed to have escaped from the Tipperary Station Wildlife Sanctuary - then owned by multi-millionaire Warren Anderson - after it was closed in 2003.
Most of the animals were moved to a zoo in Queensland, but at least one was left behind.
The station's former curator of operations Kevin Langham left the sanctuary three years before operations were wound up.
He said he was shocked the hippo had been left behind.
"It's rather strange that they would have left it behind," he said.
"The area they were kept in was quite small and the (hippos) were very territorial. Even it it had escaped it wouldn't have gone very far and wouldn't have been a very difficult animal to capture.
"The other interesting thing is, if they are out there, what else is out there?"
Former zookeeper Christine Baker said she believed the hippo was one of four that were brought to Tipperary Station from the Pearl Coast Zoo at Broome in 1991.
She said there was a breeding pair and two juveniles bought to Tipperary after the WA zoo closed down.
"This is probably the daughter, who would be 18," she said. "I had no idea that any of the stock at Tipperary had escaped."
But former Tipperary Station manager David Warriner, who took over after the sanctuary closed, said it was well known that a hippo had escaped. "It's been there for years obviously," he said.
"It escaped out of the zoo while they were shifting all the animals.
"It was just assumed that it had died, but there was one missing when they shifted all the animals."
Mr Anderson could not be contacted yesterday.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/11/17/101511_ntnews.html
(Submitted by Peter)
Monday, November 16, 2009
Pygmy hippo shot in NT
ALYSSA BETTS
November 16th, 2009
A PYGMY hippopotamus has been shot dead during a pig hunting expedition in the Territory.
The hippo is normally native to the swamps of west Africa, in particular Liberia.
Instead, this one - estimated to be about 250kg - was shot while roaming the bush of the Douglas Daly, 200km south of Darwin.
This is about 16,000km away from Liberia.
It is believed the female hippo is an old escapee from Tipperary Station, from when it used to be an exotic animal reserve.
This means it has been poking about the Douglas Daly for the past five years.
Nico Courtney, 27, was out spotlighting for pigs with his mate Rusty on a station in the Douglas Daly district on Saturday night.
"It was about 1am and running away from us - from the tail end it just looked like a big pig," the station worker said.
"We got out, had a look at it, and thought 'that's not a pig, it's a hippo'.
"Then we thought 'you don't get hippos in Australia'."
The pair thought it might be a baby hippo - and then naturally started wondering, as they stood in the middle of dark scrub, "where the hell" its mum and dad might be.
Mr Courtney said he rang a few mates to tell them what happened.
"They told me to go to bed," he said. "So I thought I'd better call the boss, and he said 'no it couldn't be'."
They both decided to get some shuteye and "reassess the situation in the morning".
But it was still a hippo come daylight.
Mr Courtney's boss, Gordon Coward, reckons the hoofer is from Tipperary Station.
"I heard all sorts of funny stories of break outs and people kept saying 'look out for giraffes in the paddock', but I didn't think much of them."
Tipperary Station - which is about 50km from Douglas Daly - was turned into an exotic wildlife sanctuary by its former owner, millionaire Warren Anderson.
Mr Anderson eventually began trying to sell the animals - which included rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, zebras and deer - back in 2003 after selling his interest in the station.
But some of the planned transfers were caught up in a legal wrangle between the Territory Government and Mr Anderson.
The hippo's carcass is now being kept in a cold room at the Douglas Daly Research Farm.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/11/16/101241_ntnews.html
(Submitted by Peter Darben)
November 16th, 2009
A PYGMY hippopotamus has been shot dead during a pig hunting expedition in the Territory.
The hippo is normally native to the swamps of west Africa, in particular Liberia.
Instead, this one - estimated to be about 250kg - was shot while roaming the bush of the Douglas Daly, 200km south of Darwin.
This is about 16,000km away from Liberia.
It is believed the female hippo is an old escapee from Tipperary Station, from when it used to be an exotic animal reserve.
This means it has been poking about the Douglas Daly for the past five years.
Nico Courtney, 27, was out spotlighting for pigs with his mate Rusty on a station in the Douglas Daly district on Saturday night.
"It was about 1am and running away from us - from the tail end it just looked like a big pig," the station worker said.
"We got out, had a look at it, and thought 'that's not a pig, it's a hippo'.
"Then we thought 'you don't get hippos in Australia'."
The pair thought it might be a baby hippo - and then naturally started wondering, as they stood in the middle of dark scrub, "where the hell" its mum and dad might be.
Mr Courtney said he rang a few mates to tell them what happened.
"They told me to go to bed," he said. "So I thought I'd better call the boss, and he said 'no it couldn't be'."
They both decided to get some shuteye and "reassess the situation in the morning".
But it was still a hippo come daylight.
Mr Courtney's boss, Gordon Coward, reckons the hoofer is from Tipperary Station.
"I heard all sorts of funny stories of break outs and people kept saying 'look out for giraffes in the paddock', but I didn't think much of them."
Tipperary Station - which is about 50km from Douglas Daly - was turned into an exotic wildlife sanctuary by its former owner, millionaire Warren Anderson.
Mr Anderson eventually began trying to sell the animals - which included rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, zebras and deer - back in 2003 after selling his interest in the station.
But some of the planned transfers were caught up in a legal wrangle between the Territory Government and Mr Anderson.
The hippo's carcass is now being kept in a cold room at the Douglas Daly Research Farm.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/11/16/101241_ntnews.html
(Submitted by Peter Darben)
Pygmy hippo shot in NT
ALYSSA BETTS
November 16th, 2009
A PYGMY hippopotamus has been shot dead during a pig hunting expedition in the Territory.
The hippo is normally native to the swamps of west Africa, in particular Liberia.
Instead, this one - estimated to be about 250kg - was shot while roaming the bush of the Douglas Daly, 200km south of Darwin.
This is about 16,000km away from Liberia.
It is believed the female hippo is an old escapee from Tipperary Station, from when it used to be an exotic animal reserve.
This means it has been poking about the Douglas Daly for the past five years.
Nico Courtney, 27, was out spotlighting for pigs with his mate Rusty on a station in the Douglas Daly district on Saturday night.
"It was about 1am and running away from us - from the tail end it just looked like a big pig," the station worker said.
"We got out, had a look at it, and thought 'that's not a pig, it's a hippo'.
"Then we thought 'you don't get hippos in Australia'."
The pair thought it might be a baby hippo - and then naturally started wondering, as they stood in the middle of dark scrub, "where the hell" its mum and dad might be.
Mr Courtney said he rang a few mates to tell them what happened.
"They told me to go to bed," he said. "So I thought I'd better call the boss, and he said 'no it couldn't be'."
They both decided to get some shuteye and "reassess the situation in the morning".
But it was still a hippo come daylight.
Mr Courtney's boss, Gordon Coward, reckons the hoofer is from Tipperary Station.
"I heard all sorts of funny stories of break outs and people kept saying 'look out for giraffes in the paddock', but I didn't think much of them."
Tipperary Station - which is about 50km from Douglas Daly - was turned into an exotic wildlife sanctuary by its former owner, millionaire Warren Anderson.
Mr Anderson eventually began trying to sell the animals - which included rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, zebras and deer - back in 2003 after selling his interest in the station.
But some of the planned transfers were caught up in a legal wrangle between the Territory Government and Mr Anderson.
The hippo's carcass is now being kept in a cold room at the Douglas Daly Research Farm.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/11/16/101241_ntnews.html
(Submitted by Peter Darben)
November 16th, 2009
A PYGMY hippopotamus has been shot dead during a pig hunting expedition in the Territory.
The hippo is normally native to the swamps of west Africa, in particular Liberia.
Instead, this one - estimated to be about 250kg - was shot while roaming the bush of the Douglas Daly, 200km south of Darwin.
This is about 16,000km away from Liberia.
It is believed the female hippo is an old escapee from Tipperary Station, from when it used to be an exotic animal reserve.
This means it has been poking about the Douglas Daly for the past five years.
Nico Courtney, 27, was out spotlighting for pigs with his mate Rusty on a station in the Douglas Daly district on Saturday night.
"It was about 1am and running away from us - from the tail end it just looked like a big pig," the station worker said.
"We got out, had a look at it, and thought 'that's not a pig, it's a hippo'.
"Then we thought 'you don't get hippos in Australia'."
The pair thought it might be a baby hippo - and then naturally started wondering, as they stood in the middle of dark scrub, "where the hell" its mum and dad might be.
Mr Courtney said he rang a few mates to tell them what happened.
"They told me to go to bed," he said. "So I thought I'd better call the boss, and he said 'no it couldn't be'."
They both decided to get some shuteye and "reassess the situation in the morning".
But it was still a hippo come daylight.
Mr Courtney's boss, Gordon Coward, reckons the hoofer is from Tipperary Station.
"I heard all sorts of funny stories of break outs and people kept saying 'look out for giraffes in the paddock', but I didn't think much of them."
Tipperary Station - which is about 50km from Douglas Daly - was turned into an exotic wildlife sanctuary by its former owner, millionaire Warren Anderson.
Mr Anderson eventually began trying to sell the animals - which included rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, giraffes, zebras and deer - back in 2003 after selling his interest in the station.
But some of the planned transfers were caught up in a legal wrangle between the Territory Government and Mr Anderson.
The hippo's carcass is now being kept in a cold room at the Douglas Daly Research Farm.
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/11/16/101241_ntnews.html
(Submitted by Peter Darben)
Crocodile attacked and killed by angry hippos
A wildlife photographer has captured the moment a crocodile was killed after getting trapped in a maze of angry hippos.
Published: 10:21AM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Vaclav Silha, the Czech photographer, had set up his camera on the banks of the Grumeti river in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, to take snaps of 50 hippos bathing in the river.
But the peaceful scene was broken when the bathers were interrupted by a crocodile.
"Mutual respect between these animals means fights occur very rarely," said Mr Vaclav, 45.
"One of the only reasons you might see a conflict is if the hippos have young and they think the little ones are under threat. That's exactly what happened here.
"The incautious croc got too close to a female who had calves and the whole group gathered into a defensive circle around them. It was a strong message for the crook to clear off.
"I have absolutely no idea why, but the crocodile suddenly raced across the backs of the hippos. I think it might have panicked and thought it was a possible escape route. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"It was the worst choice the reptile could ever have made and it was definitely its last.
"The island of hippos suddenly erupted with teeth and all I could see was the crocodile being repeatedly crushed in their huge mouths."
Crocodiles have armour-plated bodies made up of tough skin and "scutes" - bony scales on the outside of the body.
But the unlucky beast's defences were no match for the raging hippos. Described as one of the most aggressive creatures in the animal kingdom, an adult hippo can apply several tons of pressure in a single bite.
"Even the toughest crocodile could not have withstood being repeatedly bitten like that," said Mr Vaclav.
"There was no way for him to escape. I few seconds later his lifeless body slipped below the water and I didn't see him again."
One of these pictures was published in the November issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6579856/Crocodile-attacked-and-killed-by-angry-hippos.html
Published: 10:21AM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Vaclav Silha, the Czech photographer, had set up his camera on the banks of the Grumeti river in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, to take snaps of 50 hippos bathing in the river.
But the peaceful scene was broken when the bathers were interrupted by a crocodile.
"Mutual respect between these animals means fights occur very rarely," said Mr Vaclav, 45.
"One of the only reasons you might see a conflict is if the hippos have young and they think the little ones are under threat. That's exactly what happened here.
"The incautious croc got too close to a female who had calves and the whole group gathered into a defensive circle around them. It was a strong message for the crook to clear off.
"I have absolutely no idea why, but the crocodile suddenly raced across the backs of the hippos. I think it might have panicked and thought it was a possible escape route. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"It was the worst choice the reptile could ever have made and it was definitely its last.
"The island of hippos suddenly erupted with teeth and all I could see was the crocodile being repeatedly crushed in their huge mouths."
Crocodiles have armour-plated bodies made up of tough skin and "scutes" - bony scales on the outside of the body.
But the unlucky beast's defences were no match for the raging hippos. Described as one of the most aggressive creatures in the animal kingdom, an adult hippo can apply several tons of pressure in a single bite.
"Even the toughest crocodile could not have withstood being repeatedly bitten like that," said Mr Vaclav.
"There was no way for him to escape. I few seconds later his lifeless body slipped below the water and I didn't see him again."
One of these pictures was published in the November issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6579856/Crocodile-attacked-and-killed-by-angry-hippos.html
Crocodile attacked and killed by angry hippos
A wildlife photographer has captured the moment a crocodile was killed after getting trapped in a maze of angry hippos.
Published: 10:21AM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Vaclav Silha, the Czech photographer, had set up his camera on the banks of the Grumeti river in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, to take snaps of 50 hippos bathing in the river.
But the peaceful scene was broken when the bathers were interrupted by a crocodile.
"Mutual respect between these animals means fights occur very rarely," said Mr Vaclav, 45.
"One of the only reasons you might see a conflict is if the hippos have young and they think the little ones are under threat. That's exactly what happened here.
"The incautious croc got too close to a female who had calves and the whole group gathered into a defensive circle around them. It was a strong message for the crook to clear off.
"I have absolutely no idea why, but the crocodile suddenly raced across the backs of the hippos. I think it might have panicked and thought it was a possible escape route. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"It was the worst choice the reptile could ever have made and it was definitely its last.
"The island of hippos suddenly erupted with teeth and all I could see was the crocodile being repeatedly crushed in their huge mouths."
Crocodiles have armour-plated bodies made up of tough skin and "scutes" - bony scales on the outside of the body.
But the unlucky beast's defences were no match for the raging hippos. Described as one of the most aggressive creatures in the animal kingdom, an adult hippo can apply several tons of pressure in a single bite.
"Even the toughest crocodile could not have withstood being repeatedly bitten like that," said Mr Vaclav.
"There was no way for him to escape. I few seconds later his lifeless body slipped below the water and I didn't see him again."
One of these pictures was published in the November issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6579856/Crocodile-attacked-and-killed-by-angry-hippos.html
Published: 10:21AM GMT 16 Nov 2009
Vaclav Silha, the Czech photographer, had set up his camera on the banks of the Grumeti river in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, to take snaps of 50 hippos bathing in the river.
But the peaceful scene was broken when the bathers were interrupted by a crocodile.
"Mutual respect between these animals means fights occur very rarely," said Mr Vaclav, 45.
"One of the only reasons you might see a conflict is if the hippos have young and they think the little ones are under threat. That's exactly what happened here.
"The incautious croc got too close to a female who had calves and the whole group gathered into a defensive circle around them. It was a strong message for the crook to clear off.
"I have absolutely no idea why, but the crocodile suddenly raced across the backs of the hippos. I think it might have panicked and thought it was a possible escape route. I couldn't believe my eyes.
"It was the worst choice the reptile could ever have made and it was definitely its last.
"The island of hippos suddenly erupted with teeth and all I could see was the crocodile being repeatedly crushed in their huge mouths."
Crocodiles have armour-plated bodies made up of tough skin and "scutes" - bony scales on the outside of the body.
But the unlucky beast's defences were no match for the raging hippos. Described as one of the most aggressive creatures in the animal kingdom, an adult hippo can apply several tons of pressure in a single bite.
"Even the toughest crocodile could not have withstood being repeatedly bitten like that," said Mr Vaclav.
"There was no way for him to escape. I few seconds later his lifeless body slipped below the water and I didn't see him again."
One of these pictures was published in the November issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/wildlife/6579856/Crocodile-attacked-and-killed-by-angry-hippos.html
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)