Hippo Bites, Tramples Elderly Man to Death as He Herds Cattle

An 81-year-old man died after being bitten and trampled by a hippopotamus in southern Africa this week, authorities say.

The encounter occurred at Mupuwa Village in Zaka—a district in the Masvingo Province of Zimbabwe—at approximately 5 p.m. on Monday as the man had been herding cattle with his grandson. The victim has since been identified as Langson Svondero.

A spokesperson for Masvingo Police, Inspector Kudakwashe Dhewa, said the man was bitten on the left leg, before he fell to the ground and was trampled.

Dhewa told the state-run newspaper The Herald this week: "A hippopotamus appeared from a nearby thicket charging towards Svondero. His grandson called out to him but the hippo bit his left leg and he fell to the ground before he could run away.

"The hippo then began trampling him. The grandson ran to the village for help but when [they returned] Svondero had already died. He sustained a deep cut to the chest."

A spokesperson for Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management, Tinashe Farawo, said the animal likely emerged from a nearby river but investigations will continue.

Farawo told the Masvingo Mirror, an independent newspaper covering the southern region of Zimbabwe: "It is very unfortunate that we have lost a life in the human-wildlife conflict. The hippo mostly came from Chiredzi River and will return to its habitat.

"We are on the ground investigating the matter. We are having human-wildlife conflicts across the province especially in Bikita, Zaka and Chiredzi. Last year a 71-year-old man was killed by a buffalo while bathing at a river," the wildlife official added.

Farawo also acknowledged the incident on his personal Twitter account, writing: "It is with great sadness that an 81 year old man was killed by a hippo in Zaka while herding cattle with his grandson who escaped unhurt. Rangers are on the ground."

Local media outlet ZimEye identified the grandson as 29-year-old Wycliffe Mazhambe, citing a villager named Pedzisayi Mapimbiro. Dhewa told the publication no foul play was suspected and a postmortem had been "waived by the magistrate."

The BBC previously reported that the hippopotamus is the "world's deadliest" large land mammal, with the species killing an estimated 500 people every year in Africa.

According to Live Science, citing the San Diego Zoo, an average female weighs around 3,000 lbs, while male hippos weigh between 3,500 and 9,920 lbs.

The zoo's fact-sheet noted: "Despite the hippos' cute appearance, they are among the most dangerous and aggressive of all mammals. Their canine and incisor teeth grow continuously, with canines reaching 20 inches (51 centimeters) in length.

"A hippo can kill people if it's provoked or feels threatened. But the impressive tusks and canine teeth are used mainly for defense or fighting with other hippos."

The encyclopaedia Britannica says on its website: "Accounts recording the number of human deaths per year by hippo attack range from about 500 to about 3,000."

A 2006 article published in the Smithsonian Magazine said that hippos can be "brutal" when defending their territory and have been known to gore or trample those who get too close. They have also been known to tip boats and drag people into water.