Life in the wild is full of surprises, especially for tourists on thrilling safari adventures in remote areas. While some are lucky enough to see animals peacefully going about their day, others are in for an unexpected and dramatic encounter. One such event recently occurred at South Africa’s Manyoni Private Game Reserve when a group of tourists had a heart-stopping interaction with a giant hippopotamus.
The tourists were having a nice safari ride when they spotted a large hippopotamus. However, this hippo wasn’t in the mood for peaceful coexistence. Furious at the sight of the vehicle, the hippo began chasing it. As the mighty animal quickly closed in, it opened its enormous mouth and came dangerously close to the tracker’s seat, creating a tense and thrilling moment.
In a nail-biting turn, it seemed like the hippo was about to take a bite out of the vehicle. Just in time, the driver’s quick reflexes came to the rescue, averting a potentially dangerous situation. The video, uploaded to YouTube by the Latest Sightings channel, shows the intense chase and the close call. It has since gone viral, amassing over 40,000 views and sparking a flood of reactions from viewers.
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Humorously, the video’s description notes, “It seemed that even the hippo was surprised by the ranger’s driving skills and it stopped dead in his tracks.” The hippo just watched as the car reversed slowly, apparently stunned, no longer pursuing the safari car.
The video became viral right away, and the viewer reactions were varied. One posted, “That was closely run! The ranger could have definitely earned their gratuity that day!” Then there was another comment like this: “Hippos are dangerous, but I do not think they can do this so fast and persistently!” Many of the commenters also complimented on the calmness of the driver. For example: “That was impressive, the calmness of this driver in danger is stunning!”
Humorous remarks also appeared, as exemplified by the one declaring, “It looks like that hippo woke up on the wrong side of the bed!” Others were struck by the unpredictability of nature, noting, “Nature never ceases to amaze – one moment, everything is calm, and the next, you’re running for your life!
