Hippo kills Australian tourist in Kenya

Bakersfield Californian ^ | 3/1/05 | Antony Gitonga - AP

[NormsRevenge]

NAIVASHA, Kenya (AP) - A hippopotamus flipped and trampled an Australian tourist to death at a popular resort in central Kenya, police said Tuesday.

Vicky Elizabeth Bartlett, 50, was with a group of 12 tourists at Lake Naivasha on Monday night when the hippo attacked, said Simon Kiragu, the regional police chief.

"The hippo attacked the woman, flipping her into the air before tossing her on the ground and trampling her," he said.

Bartlett was rushed to a hospital but died while undergoing treatment. No one else was injured in the attack.

Wilflife experts say hippos can pose extreme danger to humans. The animals come on shore at night to graze and will attack anything that comes between them and the water, where they feel safe.

The attack took place at Fisherman's Camp, a popular lakeside campground, where signs warn tourists to beware of hippos after dark.

John Mwangi, the group's tour guide, said the woman had seen a hippo the night before and was going to look for one again without telling him. The group was on its way to the Maasai Mara Game Reserve.

[NormsRevenge]

Wilflife(sic) experts say hippos can pose extreme danger to humans. The animals come on shore at night to graze and will attack anything that comes between them and the water, where they feel safe.

[ken21]

da hippo probably thought it was hillary!

(/s)

[wagglebee]

I live a few miles from PETA's headquarters in Norfolk, VA, and I can just see the new billboard now:

Hippo's 1
Human's 0

[MisterRepublican]

Rosie O'Donnell was in Kenya?

[Dashing Dasher]

I heard the other day that Hippos kill more humans each year than any other animal.
I thought that were kidding. Maybe not.


Ping?

[benjaminjjones]

hippos can pose extreme danger to humans

Even I know that, although I can remember where I read or saw it.

Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness or one of the science channels?

[SaltyJoe]

More people are killed by hippos than by any other creature. They are extremely ferocious and terrifyingly agile in water. On land they can be a charging freight train. As mention, hippos are a very skittish creature that would rather attack than run or swim away.

[Benrand]

One can't reason with a hippo.

[socal_parrot]

"Honey, I cant' get you in the frame. Move closer...a bit more!!! Now lean in!"

[RichInOC]

No! Bad hippo!

[null and void]

Africa's second deadliest scores again...

[null and void]

Nope. Second deadliest animal in all of Africa. Wanna guess who's on first?

[Al Simmons]

Correction: In Africa, more people are killed by Hippos every year than by any other large animal. Several hundred a year.

However, in Africa, and in the rest of the world, more people are killed by SNAKES (20,000+) every year than by any other critter.

(With credits to Animal Planet)

[null and void]

Still not #1...

[OkieDoke]

hungry, hungry hippos.
(Or was it `hippies'?)

[usgator]

Even I know that, although I can remember where I read or saw it.

Pretty much any animal show.  Hippos kill more humans than any other animal in Africa.

A hippo can beat a crocodile in a fight.

[Dashing Dasher]

Idi Amin?

[Dog Gone]

I knew someone would bring that classic kiddie game up.

[cyborg]

elephant?

[null and void]

Hippos kill more humans than any other animal in Africa.

Save one. (Maybe two if you count snakes)...