New Delhi: A 2-year-old in Ugada was swallowed by a hippo and then spit out after an onlooker pelted stones at the animal. The toddler was playing close to his home near the shore of Lake Edward where the incident occurred.
The hippo grabbed and began to gulp down the child when a local man saw what had happened and started pelting stones at the hippo. The startled animal regurgitated and walked away towards the lake.
“This is the first such kind of incident where a hippo strayed out of Lake Edward and attacked a young child,” Ugandan Police said in a statement, The Telegraph reported.
According to the report, the police stated that the hippo “grabbed... the boy from the head and swallowed half of his body”.
“It took the bravery of one Chrispas Bagonza, who was nearby, to save the victim after he stoned the hippo and scared it, causing it to release the victim from its mouth”, the Telegraph quoted the police.
The boy was rushed to a nearby clinic where he was given immediate treatment. Later he was transferred to a hospital in the nearby town of Bwera. He was given a vaccine for rabies as a precaution and then discharged.
Although hippopotamuses are herbivores, they can be highly aggressive when they feel threatened. Hippos can be particularly aggressive if someone is standing between them and the lake or river they inhabit.
The power of their bite is three times greater than that of a lion and despite their bulk, a hippo can run for short bursts at around 20mph.
The police warned people living nearby to be vigilant after the boy’s lucky escape. The police said although the boy escaped, people who live near sanctuaries and habitats should be aware that wild animals can be dangerous.
Wild animals see humans as a threat and any interaction can cause them to act strangely or aggressively, the police said, according to the Telegraph.