While on a month long safari in Botswana's Okavango Delta, wildlife photographers Bill and Linda Klipp, along with a driver, came upon a lounging hippo who suddenly charged and attacked their jeep. And as the massive creature bit into the passenger-side door and shook the entire car — making it impossible for the car and its occupants to escape — the Florida couple caught part of the encounter on video (see below, posted by Bill Klipp).
The mishap began after they parked their jeep at a natural water hole to observe "a lone hippo doing what hippos do" — snorting, twitching, yawning, and rolling around in a watering hole, they explain on their YouTube site. The hippo noticed the humans but didn't seem to mind, just doing his own thing. Until, suddenly, he was stricken with anger and sprang into action.
"He suddenly took issue with our presence in his territory and charged us. It's not unusual for elephants and hippos to make false or mock charges, demonstrating who is the boss or to protect their territory," they said. "While we were expecting a short mock charge, this was not the case, he came rapidly at us through the water and within seconds was out of the water rushing towards our car."
"When photographing wildlife, the vehicle is usually turned off to avoid the shake of the engine. As the hippo got closer, our guide started the car, revved the engine, and attempted to go in reverse," they continued. But the hippo beat them to it, and while his mouth was firmly clamped onto the door, the car wouldn't budge.
"Our guide kept revving the engine while reversing and after the hippo's third bite on the door he finally let go and backed off, retreating towards the water as we zoomed away in reverse." Fortunately, nobody, including the hippo, was injured — only the car was damaged, with the door and windscreen so broken, they were left "inoperable."
