Terrifying moment huge hippo charges at boat full of tourists as beast lunges out of the water in pursuit

THIS is the terrifying moment a huge hippo charges at a boat packed with tourists before lunging through the water in a furious pursuit. Viral footage captures the heart-stopping moment the massive male beast suddenly gives chase in Botswana, forcing the fleeing boat to speed away. This is the moment a huge hippo charges at a boat packed with tourists Credit: instagram/@oznurzer Footage shows the beast ferociously bobbing in and out of the water as it powers after the boat Credit: instagram/@oznurzer The tourists had been hoping for a glimpse of Africa’s spectacular wildlife when they spotted the lone hippo in the distance. But their thrilling wildlife encounter quickly turned into a terrifying battle to escape the enormous beast. Sign up for The Sun newsletter Thank you! The captain slowed the boat to avoid disturbing the territorial animal before issuing a chilling warning to his passengers. Oznur Bell, the tourist who captured the moment on camera said: “After watching his behaviour for a moment, he calmly said, ‘Hold on-we need to speed up now before he decides to come after us.’ “The moment we accelerated, we looked back and realized the hippo was chasing us.” The shocking footage shows the hulking animal powering through the water as it relentlessly pursues the boat. For several terrifying moments, the tourists were left staring back at the furious beast as it bobbed in and out of the water behind them. The videographer said: “For a few moments, every single person in the boat was genuinely worried.” Most read in The Sun Oznur described the terrifying encounter as “one of the most terrifying moments I’ve ever experienced.” According to the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, common hippos can grow to a staggering 16.5ft long and 5.2ft tall at the shoulder. Adult males can weigh between 3,500 and almost 10,000lbs – making the colossal mammals roughly the weight of a mid-length SUV. Despite their fearsome size and reputation, hippos are herbivores and do not view humans as prey. Researchers at the University of Pretoria say hippos kill around 500 people across Africa every year – more than twice as many as lions. The enormous animals are territorial and can aggressively defend their patches of water. That means an unsuspecting boat entering their territory can quickly become a dangerous target. The monstrous male eventually called off the chase, allowing the shaken tourists to escape. But the dramatic encounter also showcased the astonishing way hippos move through shallow water. Rather than relying solely on traditional swimming strokes, the powerful animals can propel themselves by pushing off the bottom in a bizarre galloping or bounding motion. The furious hippo put the remarkable technique on full display as it thundered through the water after the fleeing boat. Comment now