Hippopotamus washes turtles off its back before performing territorial poo flicking
- 4 years ago
This hippo in South Africa washes off several turtles resting on its back before performing its territorial poo flicking ritual.
Dr Robert Humphries managed to film the encounter which saw several serrated hinged terrapins abandon ship after the hippo slowly submerged into the waterhole in Kruger National Park.
After taking a moment a do several barrel rolls, the hippo swims to the water's edge where it starts to perform its territorial poo flicking.
Dr Humphries told Newsflare: "Several serrated hinged terrapins were using his back to bask, when he suddenly began to roll and submerge, washing the terrapins off.
"After shedding the terrapins, he became more active, yawning, bellowing and rolling over completely, his back covered in grey mud after each roll.
"This rolling behaviour is most unusual – this is my first observation of it after many hours observing hippos.
"The hippo bull then defaecated a couple of times in the water, then walked to the edge of the dam where he marked his territory, flicking his dung by wagging his tail from side-to-side."
This footage was filmed on February 16.
Dr Robert Humphries managed to film the encounter which saw several serrated hinged terrapins abandon ship after the hippo slowly submerged into the waterhole in Kruger National Park.
After taking a moment a do several barrel rolls, the hippo swims to the water's edge where it starts to perform its territorial poo flicking.
Dr Humphries told Newsflare: "Several serrated hinged terrapins were using his back to bask, when he suddenly began to roll and submerge, washing the terrapins off.
"After shedding the terrapins, he became more active, yawning, bellowing and rolling over completely, his back covered in grey mud after each roll.
"This rolling behaviour is most unusual – this is my first observation of it after many hours observing hippos.
"The hippo bull then defaecated a couple of times in the water, then walked to the edge of the dam where he marked his territory, flicking his dung by wagging his tail from side-to-side."
This footage was filmed on February 16.