ALL EYES AND EARS.... Hippos line up in the water to 'echo' each other with just the top of their heads poking out of the water. The photo was taken in the Pafuri area of the Kruger National Park, SA, while the pod of common hippos were making their advance on the photographer.
Chemical engineer John Mullineux, 40, from Secunda, South Africa, said "While not rare, these hippos are only seen in large bodies of perennial water that are near to significant grazing areas, like...
more »ALL EYES AND EARS.... Hippos line up in the water to 'echo' each other with just the top of their heads poking out of the water. The photo was taken in the Pafuri area of the Kruger National Park, SA, while the pod of common hippos were making their advance on the photographer.
Chemical engineer John Mullineux, 40, from Secunda, South Africa, said "While not rare, these hippos are only seen in large bodies of perennial water that are near to significant grazing areas, like the Luvuvhu River where these hippos were. The pod of hippos was going about their normal morning business."
"The males are extremely territorial an known to even kill or chase away their own sons. We were too close to the river for the liking of the resident male. He began to approach us and was displaying agitated behaviour."
"We were on a safari at a private concession in the Pafuri area. After a morning drive through a fever tree forest, we stopped for morning tea. The place we stopped was safe owing to the enormous seasonally dry riverbed area we could stand in, right at the confluence of the Luvuvhu and Limpopo Rivers."
"I approached the water area to get low angle images of the hippos. Hippo are extremely dangerous and kill more people in Africa than any other animal (excluding insects). I noticed the pod moving around slowly and identified a potential lining up. The resident male was moving to the front and then towards me. So I had to quickly remove myself from the water’s edge for safety whilst also moving to one side to get the massive pachyderms to line up."
"Because the female hippos were moving slowly, I had time to line up the shot while awaiting the male to place his face correctly."
Please byline: John Mullineux/Solent News
© John Mullineux/Solent News & Photo Agency
UK +44 (0) 2380 458800
« less
