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.

[SaltyJoe]

My apologies and thanks. But I bet that the little baby hippo that has a tortoise for a best friend isn't such a bad guy!

[usgator]

It's not quite her time. (And that time will be cut short)

And we are grateful for that.

[null and void]

It was an allusion to democrats/lib-uh-rhuls...

[Torie]

Mosquito, although I have heard in the past it was that mean ass looking buffalo creature.

[cyborg]

That's a deadly beast indeed... closely related to the parasitic tapeworm or the annoying schisto infestation!

[cyborg]

One of the big ecotourist capitals of the world...and life is quite comfortable for tourists. Can't say the same for anyone poor though.

[rdcorso]

I guess she was successful finding another hippo.Some people don't understand the danger that a wild animal that weighs a few tons can pose.If I was out there where she was you wouldn't find me anywhere near a hippo or the water after dark.I watched an adult male hippo attack a baby hippo in the most vicious manner on the Discovery channel.They are a powerful and deadly animal.

[null and void]

What's gnu?

[null and void]

Hmmmmm, Mosquito, and its fellow traveller, Plasmodium.

Maybe #1?

[usgator]

If I was out there where she was you wouldn't find me anywhere near a hippo or the water after dark

Reminds me of a 23 yr old girl who went skinny-dipping at night in a lake known to be infested with gators.  She was warned several times not to do it but she went at night with no one around.  The results were predictable.

[smonk]

---One of the big ecotourist capitals of the world . . . [snip] ---

then I'm pulling for the hippos from now on.

[Torie]

Don't mess with me, because if you do, you die.

The cape buffalo

[Rebelbase]

[Dashing Dasher]

Is that Helen Thomas?

[NormsRevenge]

Od way to go, very Od, indeed.

[Rebelbase]

Yep, very Od.

[ctdonath2]

[Hippos] will attack anything that comes between them and the water

Expert hunter Jeff Cooper deems that the most dangerous game.

[TexasCowboy]

There's a parasite that burrows it's way into the soles of bare feet and lays it's eggs.
I never knew the English word for them, but they make one helluva sore when the eggs hatch. The foot splits open.

The expats never went barefooted.