According to Agatha Christie, “A mother’s love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no aw, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path.” There’s no other love like a mother’s love for her child. It’s priceless! And it all goes down to every mother in the world – even animals.
Wildlife photographer Neal Cooper has captured a dramatic scene while he was wandering through the rivers of Kasane, Botswana.
They saw a mother hippo standing motionless over something which they initially thought was a rock but then came to realize grim reality when the hippo started roaring in anguish – it was the body of her baby.
The mother hippo was so heartbroken that she became aggressive over another hippo trying to approach them. She was “spraying her faeces, showing her teeth and saliva dripping from her mouth.”
The following day, Mr. Cooper and his team went back to the area to see what happened to the carcass. “When we arrived we saw two other hippos standing over the body. A very large female was mouthing the carcass and when it was turned over we could see a bite mark on the side of the baby with the entrails showing.”
Hippos are generally regarded as extremely dangerous, aggressive animals and become highly protective of their young.
“She was still displaying aggressive behaviour towards the other hippos when she charged towards an individual before two other hippos attacked her from behind,” said Mr. Cooper.
“They chased her around until she found a spot in deeper water and it eventually calmed down but the whole thing was absolutely incredible to see.”
Mr. Cooper felt the pain of the grieving mother hippo over the loss of her baby. He said, “It really was quite a distressing sight to see unfold in front of you.”