Nairobi, Kenya – A Taiwanese tourist was killed when a hippo tore into his chest at a popular wildlife spot at Lake Naivasha.
The man’s traveling companion was injured.
Now, there is controversy in Kenya over a plan by the Kenya Wildlife Service to track down the hippo ostensibly so it can be killed for biting a human.
The two got too close to the hippo while photographing the most dangerous land animal in the world at the famous Lake Naivasha which is about an hour away by road from Nairobi.
.#Chinese #tourist Chang Ming Chuang, 66, was pronounced dead on arrival at the #Naivasha District Hospital after being attacked by a hippo while Wu Peng Te, 62, survived the tragic encounter and is recuperating at Lake Naivasha Sopa Resort. We are tracking the #hippo
— KWS (@kwskenya) August 12, 2018
He was the second man killed this week by a hippo in that area. The first victim was a fisherman.
Hippos Have lips that are two-feet wide and teeth that can tear a crocodile in half.
”Hippos can open their mouths to a massive 150 degrees or 4 feet wide which show their large tusk-like canines and razor-sharp incisors, capable of biting a small boat in half,” according to the website animalcorner.co.uk.
Hippos weigh 3 to 3.5 tons when fully grown. They are regarded as the most dangerous animals on land.
The tweet from KWS that the hippo was being tracked ostensibly to be killed brought a furious response from Kenyans who saw the incident as the fault of the tourists rather than the hippo. KWS initially described the men as residents of China but they were later confirmed to be from Taiwan.
Similarly in comments under local news articles Kenyans denounced the plan to track the hippo down. That anger was also reflected on Twitter. Most feel hippos are not to blame for injuries to humans who venture into wildlife habitats.
Leave the hippo alone. You guys should know that hippos are naturally aggressive, territorial, and they protect their calves as well.
— Riaz Gilani (@RiazGilani) August 12, 2018
I stand with the hippo.
— Ike Kenneth (@IkeOjuok) August 12, 2018
So do I. That #hippo deserves to continue enjoying its habitat. It shouldn't be killed, @kwskenya …
— Dr. Muyoka (@dr_muyoka) August 12, 2018
