A hippo birth is a rare sight, and it’s even rarer to see a baby hippo almost get snatched by sneaky crocodiles.
Why Seeing a Hippo Birth Is So Rare
You might not realize, but this footage showing a hippo birth is extremely rare – both for safari-goers and biologists alike!
Hippos are nocturnal and almost always give birth at night, so even at Zoos, they have to set up special night vision cameras to keep a check on expecting hippo mamas. Also, they usually give birth underwater to hide their precious babies from predators.
The Rare Footage: Baby Hippo Almost Snatched by Crocodiles
This heart-pounding scene takes place at the incredible nature reserve Masai Mara in Kenya. We see the incredible moment the baby hippo is born, but we also see two sneaky crocs lurking around the corner.
Thankfully, the mama hippo is on guard and fiercely protects her baby – just like any mother would.
How Small Is a Baby Hippo?
Being one of the world’s largest land animals, even a baby hippo is not so baby.
At birth, a baby hippo already weighs 50 to 110 pounds and measures about 50 inches in length. While this is undoubtedly large compared to human babies, it’s quite tiny to an adult hippo which weighs up to 4,000 pounds.
A Crocodile Could Never Take Down a Full-Grown Hippo.. But a Baby on the Other Hand
A full-grown hippo has few natural predators, but with babies, it’s a different story.
Hippos are equipped with massive jaws and teeth capable of defending against most threats. Crocodiles, aware of the hippo’s strength, typically do not target adult hippos but know that they can stand a chance when they’re babies.
This is when the mother’s protective instincts are absolutely crucial.
Closing Thoughts
Life in the wild is a neverending fight for your life – especially if you’re a baby hippo. But we can all let out a sigh of relief, knowing that this time, the hippo’s mother instincts persevered.
Thank you for reading this article about the baby hippo that was almost snatched by crocodiles! For more riveting animal news, take a look here:
- Watch When a Man Brushes Hippo’s Teeth at Osaka Zoo
- Watch: Lion Messed with the Wrong Hippo
- Watch This Rare and Endangered Baby Pygmy Hippo Born at Athens Zoo
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