2-Year-Old Boy Survives Hippo Chomp and Hurl in Uganda

A 2-year-old boy who had survived a hippo chomp and hurl incident in Uganda was given medical attention for his wounds.

A hungry hippo that swallowed a 2-year-old boy alive before spitting him back out appears to have taken on more than it could handle.

The child was gobbled up head first by the animal while he was playing in his home in Katwe Kabatoro Town Council, in the western Kasese District of Uganda.

Local police reported the incident.

First Hippo Attack on Young Human

Chrispas Bagonza, is credited with saving the boy by hurling stones at the hippo, according to the police.

The startled animal then regurgitated the youngster and fled to Lake Edward, which is about half a mile from the boy's house and is located on the western Uganda-Democratic Republic of the Congo border.

It was the first time a hippo had strayed from Lake Edward and attacked a young child, according to the Uganda Police Force on Monday.

The authorities want to remind everyone who lives in Katwe Kabatoro Town Council, which is a part of Queen Elizabeth National Park, to be cautious and to report any stray animals to park rangers right away.

The youngster was taken urgently to the hospital, where he received minor injuries treatment and rabies vaccination.

He has now been brought back to his parents' house.

Read also: Hippos in Mozambique Release Poop Tornado to Unfamiliar Hippos: New Study 

Hippos and Their Annual 500 Kills

Hippos are among sub-Saharan Africa's most dangerous animals because of their vicious nature.

According to the National Geographic, about 500 people are killed by hippos each year.

Following elephants and white rhinos, hippos are the third-largest land mammals.

Adult hippos typically weigh between 2,800 and 7,000 pounds, or roughly the same as a car, and can reach heights of seven to 16 feet.

They can be found in swamps, wetlands, rivers, and lakes.

Hippos have incredibly powerful bites and can open their humongous mouths 150 degrees.

According to the National Geographic, hippos are vegetarians, but their deadly strength makes them one of Africa's most dangerous animals.

When they sense danger, such as when something or someone intrudes on their habitat, they can become aggressive.

As per MPDI data, humans have a higher chance of dying in a hippo encounter (86.7%) than they do in a shark or lion encounter (25%).

Although the number of human hippos' deaths is unknown, it may range from 500 to 3,000 annually.

Lochran Traill, an ecologist and conservation scientist from the United Kingdom's University of Leeds, previously said that their bite force is roughly three times stronger than a lion's.

They are dangerous because they use crushing force to inflict serious injuries on people, whether through biting or trampling.

A hippo allegedly bit off a significant portion of a man's shoulder in Kenya in September.

The victim claimed that when he realized the neighbors were screaming, he stepped outside, and that is when he encountered the beast.

The man pretended to be dead and was saved, Newsweek reported.

Related article: Conservationists Call for the Inclusion of Hippos in the World's Most Endangered Species List