A two-year-old boy was swallowed and spat out by a hippopotamus while playing near his home in Uganda.
Paul Iga was forced into the beast’s mouth about half a mile from the shores of Lake Edward.
According to The Daily Telegraph, the hippo grabbed the toddler’s head and swallowed half of his body when a local person noticed the animal and started throwing stones at it.
The hippo appeared surprised by the attack and threw up the child – before ducking back into the water.
Paul Iga was stuck in the mouth of a hippopotamus just a few hundred yards from the shore of Lake Edward in Uganda.
The toddler was swallowed and spat out by a hippopotamus near his home (file photo)
“It took courage from one Chrispas Bagonza who was nearby to save the victim after he stoned and scared the hippo causing it to free the victim from its mouth,” the police added.
While Paul was injured and taken to a clinic for treatment, he miraculously survived.
It was reported that the toddler was taken to a hospital in Bwera, but was sent home after being vaccinated against rabies.
In a statement, police in Uganda said: “This is the first incident of a hippo wandering off Lake Edward and attacking a young child.”
Police have urged residents of the Katwe Kabatoro town council in the Queen Elizabeth National Park on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to remain vigilant around hippos.
Why are hippos so dangerous?
The hippopotamus is the world’s deadliest large land mammal, killing an estimated 500 people a year in Africa, according to the BBC.
They are aggressive creatures and have very sharp teeth.
With a weight of up to 2,750 kg, the animals can easily crush a person to death.
Despite their mostly vegetarian diet, the hippopotamus is extremely aggressive and territorial.
The combination of large size, sharp teeth and mobility both in and out of water make it a deadly mammal.
Agile and aggressive, they kill large animals and sometimes people.
A yawning hippopotamus, even though it looks cute, can be a sign of threat.
Over the years, hippos have been seen feeding on impalas, kudus, elk, wildebeest and buffalo.
They are very protective of their habitat and usually live in rivers.
In Niger, 13 people drowned when hippos overturned their boat in 2014.
Source link
Elizabeth Cabrera is an author and journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a talent for staying up-to-date on the latest news and trends, Elizabeth is dedicated to delivering informative and engaging articles that keep readers informed on the latest developments.
