Baby hippo dies after being caught in brawl between two adult hippos

SOUTH AFRICA: A baby hippopotamus was mauled to death when it got caught in a fight between two male adult hippos in iSimangaliso Wetland Park, in eastern South Africa.

The five-day-old hippopotamus was heaved into the air and dragged in the water as it strayed into the site of the battle between the adults.

PHOTO: GREATSTOCK

It appeared that the two male hippos had been fighting for some time as the calf’s mother stayed near the herd, away from combat, revealed Stacey Farrell, tour operator for the shoreline Hippo and Safari.

PHOTO: GREATSTOCK

The helpless hippopotamus was seen being hurled into the air after it strayed into the firing line of an adult male, which was tussling with its rival.

Read: Turtle talk: 'Wildlife smuggling second-best funding for terrorist'

The mother's decision to stay out of the way proved fatal for the baby when one of the brawling adults grabbed the calf between its jaws.

Farrell elaborated that the mother tried to get the baby back but was her attempt was futile. She bit the Hippo that held the baby in its jaws only to make him bite harder on the baby Hippo. The baby Hippopotamus died from the injuries hours later.

PHOTO: GREATSTOCK

"For hours she chased away the sub-adults and younger hippos from her little baby as I believe she knew they would be too rough," Farrell said.

Farrell added, "Sadly, as she closed her eye, one of the sub-adult hippos grabbed the young calf. Whether intending to kill it or a bit of play or possibly jealousy gone wrong we'll never know."

PHOTO: GREATSTOCK

'The mother tried to get the baby back but with the young calf in the sub-adult's mouth, there wasn't much she could do," Farrell explained.

Read: Avoiding theft: Security demanded for wildlife park

"She attacked the hippo on the neck which forced the sub-adult to bite down harder and then suddenly flicked the baby in the air," she concluded.

PHOTO: GREATSTOCK

Heart-wrenching pictures were captured of the incident which show how the baby was defeated and succumbed to its injuries.

This article originally appeared on Mail Online