A two-year-old boy, Iga Paul has survived an attack by a hippopotamus near his home in southwestern Uganda. Paul was playing near the shores of Lake Edward when the hippo attacked.
The hippo gripped the infant and “swallowed half of his body”, police said, who added a local man fought the hippo off by throwing stones at it.
The incident marked the first time a hippo had strayed from the lake and attacked anyone. But the animals which could weigh up to 1,500kg are estimated to kill around 500 people a year in Africa.
Uganda’s wildlife authority however disputed this account, stating that the boy was attacked rather than swallowed by the hippo.
The police said after the attack on December 4, the toddler was rushed to a nearby medical facility where he was treated for his injuries.
He was later transferred to Bwera Hospital in Kasese district where medics gave him a precautionary rabies vaccine.
Although the animals are herbivores, they can become aggressive when they feel threatened or their habitats are disturbed.
Forest officers warn that the animals can “see humans as a threat” and said that “any interaction can cause them to act strangely or aggressively”.
Hippos are the third largest living land mammal and their teeth can reach up to 20 inches in length. Despite their size, they can also reach speeds of up to 32 km/h.