14 DAY TRIAL // While visiting Erindi Private Game Reserve in Namibia, wildlife photographer Rian Van Schalkwyk chanced to witness a fight between a hippopotamus and an elephant.
Apparently, the elephant was a young male that tried to harm the hippo's calf. The hippo mom was quick to react, and took on the pachyderm.
This gave the hippo calf just enough time to run to safety, Daily Mail reports.
Despite being flipped in the air, the hippo mom did not sustain any major injuries. On the contrary, she somehow managed to get away with just a small cut on the side of her body.
“I felt incredible privileged to see this. I've been in the bush a long time, but this was the most spectacular scene I've ever witnessed, I couldn't believe it,” photographer Rian Van Schalkwyk told the press.
“For me, it was the experience of a lifetime. I felt privileged to see animal behaviour like that, but I also felt for the mother. All of us just stood there for a while afterwards not talking, just taking in the scene,” he added.