Terrifying moment angry hippo charges at and attacks safari truck carrying American tourists in Botswana

• Bill and Linda Klipp from Key West, Florida, endured the alarming encounter whilst on a month-long photographic safari in Botswana’s Okavango Delta 
• The beast confronted the vehicle, biting down on the front passenger side door preventing the truck from moving  
• After three powerful clamps of the hippo’s jaws the driver managed to reverse the vehicle and speed away 

This is the terrifying moment a furious hippopotamus charged a safari truck carrying American tourists in Botswana. 

Bill and Linda Klipp, who were visiting the country in September from Key West, Florida, endured the alarming encounter whilst on a month-long photographic safari in the country’s Okavango Delta.

At first the photographers thought the hippo might be conducting a false charge, but the beast continued to confront the vehicle, biting down on the front passenger side door preventing the truck from moving. 

After three powerful clamps of the hippo’s jaws the driver managed to reverse the vehicle and speed away.  

Neither the couple, who are both professional wildlife photographers, nor the driver were injured in the incident.

At first the photographers thought the hippo might be conducting a false charge

However, the beast continued to confront the vehicle, whose engine was switched off 

‘It was shortly after lunch on an all-day game drive in Botswana’s Okavango Delta when we stopped at a small natural water hole to photograph a lone Hippo doing what Hippos do, lounging in the water, snorting, staring at us, twitching his ears, rolling over, rising up and down with an occasional yawn and short rushes through the water’ Bill Klipp wrote on his YouTube channel. 

After watching the creature from the safari vehicle for a short while it began to rise out of the water, appearing to take issue with the intruders in his territory. 

‘He came rapidly at us through the water and within seconds was out of the water rushing towards our car’ Bill explained. 

‘When photographing wildlife, the vehicle it is usually turned off to avoid the shake of the engine. 

‘As the Hippo got closer our guide started the car, revved the engine, and attempted to go in reverse. 

‘It was too late; he rose up, mouth wide open then clamped down on the front passenger side door, preventing the car from moving and us from escaping’ Bill recalled. 

As the hippo bit down on the car’s front passenger door his upper canines started to splinter the wooden frame on the door, while his lower incisors and canines ripped a gash in the door.

The impact bent and dented the door, fender, windscreen frame and mirror making the door and windscreen inoperable.

As the hippo bit down on the car’s front passenger door his upper canines started to splinter the wooden frame on the door

After three large clamps of the hippo’s jaws the drive managed to reverse the vehicle and speed away

Linda Klipp documents the damage to the safari vehicle following the surprise attack

Despite damage to the vehicle neither the couple nor the driver were injured in the incident

After eventually managing to escape the couple reviewed their footage and believe the hippo might have been blind in one eye and maybe thought they were another hippo trying to attack him, as he might have experienced in the past.

‘You always hear about how powerful a Hippo can be, but one really doesn’t have a clue until a 7,000-10,000 pound animal crashes into and attacks your car’ Bill wrote.  

‘I have always told Linda when the shit hits the fan just keep shooting. What an exhilarating event to experience and we are thankful to be around to share. 

Adding: ‘We just love being on Safari and can’t wait to see what happens next.’

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