US tourist injured in Vic Falls hippo attack

03 December 2018, 10:01

https://www.news24.com/Africa/...ippo-attack-20181203

A US tourist has been injured by a hippo while canoeing above the Victoria Falls, a newspaper reported.

Thirty-seven-year-old Christine Yaldor was canoeing with her husband on Saturday morning when the attacked occurred, said the state-run Sunday News.

"They came too close to the hippo and it panicked and attacked their boat," an unnamed eyewitness told the paper.

State wildlife authority spokesperson Tinashe Farawo confirmed the attack and said that Yaldor had sustained injuries to her right leg.

Airlifted to South Africa

On Sunday evening, he tweeted that the woman had been airlifted to South Africa for further treatment.

"Tourists are encouraged to stay away from wild animals," he added.

This was the second report of an attack by wildlife on a canoe carrying tourists at the Victoria Falls in recent months.

In April, Bulawayo woman Zanele Ndlovu lost her arm in a crocodile attack just five days before her wedding, the Washington Post reported.

In July, two woman from a village in northern Binga drowned in the Zambezi River after a hippo capsized their canoe while they were out fishing, according to a report in the state-run Chronicle.

03 December 2018, 11:41

ijl

Hippo attacks on the Zambezi are all too common and getting more frequent; few make it into the news.

As for the pearl of wisdom that "Tourists are encouraged to stay away from wild animals", sometimes it's easy and sometimes - like in a canoe on the Zambezi - it isn't. No point in trying to place the blame on the tourist, when your own department condones and in fact licenses the practice.

03 December 2018, 11:41

Jefffive

quote:
Originally posted by boerbokrib:
https://www.news24.com/Africa/...ippo-attack-20181203

A US tourist has been injured by a hippo while canoeing above the Victoria Falls, a newspaper reported.

Thirty-seven-year-old Christine Yaldor was canoeing with her husband on Saturday morning when the attacked occurred, said the state-run Sunday News.

"They came too close to the hippo and it panicked and attacked their boat," an unnamed eyewitness told the paper.

State wildlife authority spokesperson Tinashe Farawo confirmed the attack and said that Yaldor had sustained injuries to her right leg.

Airlifted to South Africa

On Sunday evening, he tweeted that the woman had been airlifted to South Africa for further treatment.

"Tourists are encouraged to stay away from wild animals," he added.

This was the second report of an attack by wildlife on a canoe carrying tourists at the Victoria Falls in recent months.

In April, Bulawayo woman Zanele Ndlovu lost her arm in a crocodile attack just five days before her wedding, the Washington Post reported.

In July, two woman from a village in northern Binga drowned in the Zambezi River after a hippo capsized their canoe while they were out fishing, according to a report in the state-run Chronicle.

Right, the hippo "panicked".

It thought the canoe was after its women...

03 December 2018, 11:47

Saeed

I do not know what all the fuss is about.

Living IS dangerous, not just in the bush.

I cannot imagine any sport activity that cannot be dangerous!

Even just walking in the street.

03 December 2018, 15:45

fairgame

You would not catch me in a canoe in any of our waters. I have had plenty of problems with Hippo even in big fast boats.

03 December 2018, 16:24

Saeed

The area we hunt in the Selous is full of hippos.

Both in teh water and on land.

The thick forest by the rivers is their favorite place to lie down.

We have surorised some - and us too - from 5 yards!

It is amazing how fast one can accelerate in one of these situations!

03 December 2018, 19:43

surefire7

quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
You would not catch me in a canoe in any of our waters. I have had plenty of problems with Hippo even in big fast boats.

+1

Every person is different I guess. I’ve watched people fishing in waters inhabited by both hippos and cros.

There’s not a fish in the world that could temp me to fish in a small boat on these waters.

People do get away with it of course.

Some don’t ...

03 December 2018, 19:53

surefire7

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
I do not know what all the fuss is about.

Living IS dangerous, not just in the bush.

I cannot imagine any sport activity that cannot be dangerous!

Even just walking in the street.

Saeed is absolutely correct in his statement. Life itself is dangerous.

I guess people pick what dangers/risks they are willing to take.

On land, with a big bore rifle in my hands, hunting dangerous game, I guess I am willing to take that risk.

Finding myself swimming in croc & hippo infested water, whether from an over turned boat or being pulled off by one of these creatures, sans my rifle and dry land, is not a risk I am willing to take.

To each their own.

03 December 2018, 20:50

GunsCore

The most nerve wracking safari I have taken was a three day canoe trip down the Mana Pools shoreline with Natureway Safaris. We got charged by hippos three times and all I had was a silly paddle. The guides had Taurus 44 Mag revolvers. Here is the link to my report.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...901036612#9901036612

04 December 2018, 19:40

DLS

quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
You would not catch me in a canoe in any of our waters. I have had plenty of problems with Hippo even in big fast boats.

...Or in small aluminum boats with little motors!

04 December 2018, 19:44

DLS

quote:
Originally posted by GunsCore:
The most nerve wracking safari I have taken was a three day canoe trip down the Mana Pools shoreline with Natureway Safaris. We got charged by hippos three times and all I had was a silly paddle. The guides had Taurus 44 Mag revolvers. Here is the link to my report.

http://forums.accuratereloadin...901036612#9901036612

The .44 Mag revolvers were to shoot you if caught by a hippo, because that sure as hell wouldn’t stop a hippo intent on mayhem.

04 December 2018, 20:06

fairgame

quote:
Originally posted by DLS:
quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
You would not catch me in a canoe in any of our waters. I have had plenty of problems with Hippo even in big fast boats.

...Or in small aluminum boats with little motors!

The one that has two large hippo teeth holes in it?

04 December 2018, 21:08

Saeed

What a shame all you lot are such wimps!

I have personally observed, on numerous occasions, a brave tracker rowing with a piece of wood, in an inflatable banana boat, barely larger than himself, going into the middle of the river to tie a rope to a dead hippo so we can get it to our side of the river to skin

04 December 2018, 23:11

DLS

quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
quote:
Originally posted by DLS:
quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
You would not catch me in a canoe in any of our waters. I have had plenty of problems with Hippo even in big fast boats.

...Or in small aluminum boats with little motors!

The one that has two large hippo teeth holes in it?

Yessir!

05 December 2018, 01:18

MikeBurke

quote:
Originally posted by DLS:
quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
quote:
Originally posted by DLS:
quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
You would not catch me in a canoe in any of our waters. I have had plenty of problems with Hippo even in big fast boats.

...Or in small aluminum boats with little motors!

The one that has two large hippo teeth holes in it?

Yessir!

Would this be the one? It is only slightly faster than a hippo, maybe.

05 December 2018, 01:47

surefire7

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
What a shame all you lot are such wimps!

I have personally observed, on numerous occasions, a brave tracker rowing with a piece of wood, in an inflatable banana boat, barely larger than himself, going into the middle of the river to tie a rope to a dead hippo so we can get it to our side of the river to skin

06 December 2018, 05:04

surefire7

On ABC World News Tonight, there was a report of an American woman who had her canoe turned over on the Zambezi near Vic Falls by a Hippo. She swam towards the shore but was pulled under by the hippo and her leg was broken. She ended up punching the hippo in the face repeatedly until he let go. She was rescued and flown to a hospital. Her family said she was lucky to be alive. Perhaps this is the same story as the one posted by the OP.

Small watercraft and African waters. It amazes me that people mix the two. Voluntarily...

06 December 2018, 08:45

Michael Robinson

This kind of thing too often happens.

A fantasy world often and unfortunately shapes expectations of what may happen in the real world.

But fantasy expectations are always crashed.

Bottom line is this: One must learn the real rules of the real world, and then one had better play by them.