Angry hippos! Two beasts lock jaws and tussle in Kenyan river as they vie for attentions of nearby female
- German photographer Ingo Gerlach, 66, spotted the two beasts fighting in Masai Mara Kenya last month
- The two creatures, which can weigh up to 400 stone, were fighting over a female mate in the river
- Intruder was eventually batted off after 10 minutes, Mr Gerlach claims, and left with a bleeding snout
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This is the jaw-dropping moment two angry hippos battled it out over a female mate.
The two enormous creatures, which can weigh up to 400 stone, thrashed around in the Mara River and attempted to bite one another as they engaged in a ferocious fight.
They were spotted by photographer Ingo Gerlach, 66, who was visiting Kenya from his native Germany and sat on the river bank having his lunch on August 21.
Whipping out his camera he took a series of snaps as the beasts continued to grapple with one another for at least 10 minutes.
Eventually the intruder admitted defeat and left the hippo pool with a bloody snout.
This is the jaw-dropping moment two angry hippos battled it out over a female mate in the Mara River in Kenya on August 21
The two enormous creatures, which can weigh up to 400 stone, thrashed around in the Mara River and attempted to bite one another as they engaged in a ferocious fight over a female mate (behind) in Masai Mara, Kenya
They were spotted by photographer Ingo Gerlach, 66, who was visiting from his native Germany and sat on the river bank having his lunch
Mr Gerlach said: ‘In the river there are always hippos in the so called ‘hippopool’. For days it was always very peaceful in the river at this place but that day a foreign hippopotamus bull wanted to visit his secretly adored lady of his heart.
‘The owner of the house did not like this at all so the two bulls attacked each other after some threatening gestures.
‘During the fight of the bulls the beloved watched -after about ten minutes the show was over. The intruder left the opponent’s territory hastily and with a bleeding nose.’
Hippos are considered one of the most deadly animals in the world. Their sharp teeth and immense weight can prove fatal for anyone who get caught in their path. The large mammals kill an estimated 500 people in Africa every year.
Angry hippos! The two hippos fought it out while the female watched from the sidelines of the Mara River in Masai Mara, Kenya
Hippos are considered one of the most deadly animals in the world. The large mammals kill an estimated 500 people in Africa every year
Eventually after around 10 minutes, the intruder admitted defeat and left the hippo pool with a bloody snout