A series of photos captures the heart-stopping moment a mother hippo saved her baby from a massive elephant that was about to trample it.
While on safari at Erindi Game Reserve in Namibia, photographer Quintus Strauss stumbled upon a newborn hippo playing with its mother and stopped to take a photo.
Within minutes, Quintus heard an angry elephant approaching the young hippo in the water.
The elephant, which was photographed in Namibia, can be seen approaching the baby hippo, raising its foot to squash the tiny creature.
The baby’s mother snaps into action, opening her devastating jaws towards the angry elephant. Photographer Quintus Strauss said he thinks the hippo managed to bite the massive beast on the trunk
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The cow (female hippo) knocks the elephant off-balance with her ferocious bite, and the giant stumbles in the water
Making a big spɩash, the elephant’s trunk blasts the water around the baby hippo at Erindi Game Reserve, Namibia
Pictured: The enraged elephant then charges down to crush the helpless calf, using his trunk like a hammer. Fortunately, the young hippo managed to escape.
When he began taking the series of photos, the photographer, from Hoedspruit, Mopani, Zambia, witnessed the mother hippo coming to the rescue and engaging in a fight with the gigantic mammal.
Thankfully, the mother hippo was able to protect her young and successfully fended off the elephant, leaving it in pain on its upper trunk.
Quintus said: “On the first day, early in the morning, we went on a game drive and returned to the lodge for breakfast.
“The restaurant overlooks the dam and there was a hippo with a newborn baby [sic].
“After breakfast, I went to my room, which was also overlooking the dam, and downloaded my photos from the morning.
“I then heard an elephant trumpeting and water splashing, so I went onto my balcony and saw the elephant chasing the mother hippo.”
Before the elephant tries to crush the baby he chased the mother. Realizing the sheer size of her opponent, the cow scoots off up the hill
Pictured: Undated photograph of the elephant looking at the calf after it first chased the mother hippo from the watering hole
Pictured: The elephant before trying to crush the baby hippo. Thankfully, the mother was able to protect her young and successfully fought the elephant off – leaving it in pain on its upper trunk
Pictured: Heartwarming moment between hippos interrupted by a massive elephant
“I went inside to grab my camera, and upon returning outside, I witnessed the elephant approach the baby hippo and splash it. The elephant then proceeded to bend down and examine the baby closely.
The hippo mother returned and engaged in a confrontation with the elephant in order to protect her baby. During the fight, the elephant sustained an injury on its upper trunk, possibly from the hippo’s teeth.
After the altercation, everything settled down and the mother and baby hippo went their separate way.”
