Land Hippo ...

Namibia seems to be yet another epicenter of the already ongoing Human vs Animal series of skirmishes.

A Newspaper in Namibia published a report on the 'Ongoing Human Wildlife Conflict' today with the total number of casualties on both sides.

According to the article, in 2008, there were 8 total human casualties from animal conflicts. In 2009, there have already been 3 crocodile related deaths, and 2 Hippo related deaths. Here's the most recent casualty:

The latest victim is a 50-year-old man of Sauziwo village in the Caprivi Region, who was attacked by a hippo in a courtyard last week.

Deputy Director: Parks and Wildlife Management in the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Colgar Sikopo, said on Monday the hippo found itself in the middle of the village and when the villagers heard a noise, one man went out to check only to discover it was a hippo. The hippo chased the man into a courtyard and attacked him. The man suffered a broken back and died in the attack.

Wow. So a Hippo, which usually spends its time in water or mud, accidentally 'wandered' into a village, then killed somebody ... And of course, it was all an accident.

From Wiki:

"Hippos are very aggressive towards humans and are often considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.^[42][43] It is claimed that they kill more people than any other animal except mosquitos"

Apparently, its Hippo Human Hunting Season ...