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When a hippopotamus attacked a toddler in Uganda, survival seemed impossible. What followed became one of the most astonishing wildlife escape stories in recent memory.
News18
A two-year-old Ugandan boy survived an ordeal that sounds almost impossible: he was partially swallowed by a hippopotamus and lived to tell the tale.
This terrifying incident occurred in December 2022 within the regions surrounding Lake Edward, which is situated in Western Uganda. The young boy, whose name was Paul Iga, was playing near his home when the hippo came to him from out of the lake and attacked him. Within no time, this monster bit the young boy and started feeding on him.
Those witnessing the attack could only witness the saddest scene unfold before their eyes.
Then followed the climax of the entire story.
It is one of the local inhabitants, by the name of Chrispas Bagonza, who noticed the attack and took immediate action. He gathered some stones from the surroundings and threw them at the hippo.
The sudden act took the animal by surprise, prompting it to release the boy and scamper off towards the waterside.
This could be considered as the turning point for Paul’s survival and probably the deciding factor for saving the child’s life.
The boy was immediately taken to the nearest hospital, where his injuries were attended to. Fortunately, he survived this incident. What began as an ordinary day near the shores of Lake Edward ended as one of the most extraordinary wildlife survival stories in recent memory.
Why is this story so remarkable? Because, although attacks by hippos are not an uncommon occurrence in certain parts of Africa, survivors are extremely few in number. And especially those that survive being partly eaten!
The hippopotamus appears to be a slow and calm animal, but it is one of the most deadly animals on the African continent. It can weigh up to 1,500 kilograms and is highly territorial and aggressive. It has one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom, and wildlife specialists claim it kills several hundred people annually.
It has been suggested that the size of Paul could have played an important part in keeping him alive. Hippos generally do not attack people as a source of food, and after seeing Bagonza interfere, the animal could have let Paul go. Had it taken him farther into the river, or held on to him longer, it would have been lethal.
Instead, the attack became an almost unbelievable survival story.
A charging hippo, a terrified toddler and a passer-by armed only with stones combined to create one of the most remarkable wildlife escapes in recent memory.
Few people can claim to have survived the jaws of one of Africa’s deadliest animals. Paul Iga is one of them.
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