It seems that almost every semi-large body of water in Kruger National Park has hippos, dams or lakes and rivers. And with all the rains lately there is water everywhere.
Hippos hang out in water in large groups called rafts during the day so they don’t sunburn causing their skin to crack.
When the sun goes down they haul their 2 to 5 tons of body and walk up to 4 miles to graze on about 150 pounds of grasses over night.
This makes them rather difficult to photograph as they look rather like boulders in the water.
On occasion more than their eyes and nostrils appear above the water like when they open wide which looks like a yawn but usually shows aggression, or sometimes play.
Awesome video, love the hippo.
Your photos reminded me of my trip to South Africa. Snapping a photo of a hippo in mid-yawn was one of my best safari memories. Enjoying your posts. Keep having fun.
Happy to provoke those memories.
Such wonderful pictures that we are not used to see every day… Have fun.
Thanks. Every day just keeps getting better.
More jaw dropping photos. Very good. I think I’ve read that hippos are very dangerous in the water to people. I sure wouldn’t want to irritate them.
Being that hippos swim in the same waters as crocodiles I won’t be trying to find out.
I am loving all of your photos!! What an adventure you’re on. While on our road trip we visited several National Parks and I had the opportunity to chat with several park personnel and they all seem to be on a similar trek – winter in one place – summer in another. Stay safe and enjoy!
Thanks Patti. Most of the Rangers seen in our parks are seasonal so have to choice but to either work two seasons or play one like me.
Oh wow, hippos! So fabulous! Great pictures! 150 pounds a night, boy I’d love to be able to eat like that. But then I’d probably look like them. I need to belong to another species I think. One where huge is beautiful!
Large IS beautiful. But I could never eat that much each night. Well maybe if it was chocolate.
Oh my gosh, these are amazing critters you’re seeing, and in their own environment, not some zoo!
Always better to see wildlife in the wild. Lots more to come.
Enjoyed the hippo photos. You got some good ones.
You did manage some great photos. Didn’t know that about the sunburn…how interesting.
No wonder I like to “make like a hippo” when it is so hot. 🙂
I’m going to start following that advice.
We don’t have as many hippo’s down around here on the reserves as up there. I also like watching them. Interesting animals when you think of their size and that they spend so much time in water. Always great to get a yawn picture.
Kruger is full of hippos. It was especially nice to see them walking across the sand which shows how heavy they are by sinking in the sand.