Created 29-Oct-26
Smooth ripples slide silently. What could that be? Crocodile? Ears break the surface; turret eyes, then finally entire head: a Hippo, making its way underwater up to the bloat of Hippos resting in the river just below our camp. (Yes, the collective noun for Hippos is “bloat”. Too good to be true.)
It moves steadily, smoothly upstream, leaving a V-shaped trail. Sometimes fully submerged, sometimes mostly exposed. Silent ripples ruffle smooth water. Steady motion upstream, to the waiting bloat. Its fellows hardly seem to care about the new arrival.
More Hippos follow, two by two, one by one. A balloon rises above the horizon downstream.
Later, I ask someone at the camp, are the Hippos swimming, or walking on the bottom? Answer: “Nobody knows.” It might sometimes be swimming: the movement is steady, not bumpy as walking might be. At the highest point, clearly walking on the mud. Hippos hardly look built for graceful underwater swimming. Dolphins they aren’t, even though they are more closely related to dolphins than to pigs and other ungulates (Wikipedia).
BONUS: Earlier views of Hippos sunning on the banks, fully relaxed – one with shocking pink rouge. Or is this sunburn?
The second gallery is from further downstream. An Egyptian Goose lands near another Hippo bloat, this time on the near bank. A kingfisher is already established there, waiting for fish.
Storks strut on the bank. A gaggle of Egyptian Geese approaches the water. Songbirds explore the riverbank grass, and sing.
Third gallery: as breakfast approaches, a gang of Dwarf Mongooses makes their move. Ascending from riverbank burrows, they pose for the photographer, then prepare to grab any leavings from our feast.
They are the smallest carnivore in Africa. In the wild, they live on termites and other insects, spiders, scorpions, and the occasional egg. They also accept table scraps. They might live in termite nests just down the cliff?
It moves steadily, smoothly upstream, leaving a V-shaped trail. Sometimes fully submerged, sometimes mostly exposed. Silent ripples ruffle smooth water. Steady motion upstream, to the waiting bloat. Its fellows hardly seem to care about the new arrival.
More Hippos follow, two by two, one by one. A balloon rises above the horizon downstream.
Later, I ask someone at the camp, are the Hippos swimming, or walking on the bottom? Answer: “Nobody knows.” It might sometimes be swimming: the movement is steady, not bumpy as walking might be. At the highest point, clearly walking on the mud. Hippos hardly look built for graceful underwater swimming. Dolphins they aren’t, even though they are more closely related to dolphins than to pigs and other ungulates (Wikipedia).
BONUS: Earlier views of Hippos sunning on the banks, fully relaxed – one with shocking pink rouge. Or is this sunburn?
The second gallery is from further downstream. An Egyptian Goose lands near another Hippo bloat, this time on the near bank. A kingfisher is already established there, waiting for fish.
Storks strut on the bank. A gaggle of Egyptian Geese approaches the water. Songbirds explore the riverbank grass, and sing.
Third gallery: as breakfast approaches, a gang of Dwarf Mongooses makes their move. Ascending from riverbank burrows, they pose for the photographer, then prepare to grab any leavings from our feast.
They are the smallest carnivore in Africa. In the wild, they live on termites and other insects, spiders, scorpions, and the occasional egg. They also accept table scraps. They might live in termite nests just down the cliff?
Ripples in Smooth Water: Hippos Approach
Visitors 6
32 photos
Created 29-Oct-26
Modified 29-Oct-26
Hippos with Birds: Storks, Egyptian Geese, Kingfisher, Bulbul
Visitors 3
13 photos
Created 29-Oct-26
Modified 29-Oct-26
Cute Scavengers: Dwarf Mongooses
Visitors 2
10 photos
Created 29-Oct-26
Modified 29-Oct-26
Dan Quinn