Why Hippos Are One of Africa's Most Underrated Wildlife Species

Almost everyone arrives hoping to see the Big 5. Lions, elephants, rhinos and leopards usually top the list. Rarely does anyone tell me, "I can't wait to see a hippo."

Yet after years of guiding and sharing daily wildlife experiences with visitors from around the world, I have come to believe that hippos are one of Africa's most underrated animals.

The more time I have spent observing them, the more I have realised just how misunderstood they are.

More Than Just A Big Animal In The Water

Most visitors see a hippo as a large animal resting in the water during the day. While that is partly true, there is far more happening beneath the surface.

Hippos live in complex social groups with dominant bulls, females, sub-adults and youngsters all interacting throughout the day. Every pod has its own social structure, and understanding those relationships can completely change the way you view a sighting.

Much like lions, hippos are incredibly social animals.

The youngsters are often the most entertaining members of the pod. They play with one another, test boundaries, annoy their mothers and get into all sorts of mischief while learning their place within the group.

Spend enough time watching them and you begin to notice personalities emerging.

A Photographer's Dream

One of the reasons I love photographing hippos is that they reward patience.

Many visitors point a camera at a hippo and see little more than eyes, ears and nostrils above the water. But if you understand their behaviour, everything changes.

You begin to anticipate when a youngster will approach its mother, when two calves are about to start playing, or when a dominant bull is becoming protective of his territory.

Some of my favourite wildlife photographs have involved hippos rather than predators. Their expressions, interactions and social behaviour often create images filled with character and emotion.

A Special Moment In St Lucia

This particular sighting captured a young hippo calf trying its very best to climb onto its mother's back while she rested in the water.

Like many youngsters, it was determined to find the perfect place to settle down. Again and again it climbed, slipped and tried once more before finally finding a comfortable position beside its mother.

To many people it may seem like a simple wildlife moment. To me it is a reminder of why hippos are so fascinating.

Behind the reputation of being one of Africa's most powerful animals lies a surprisingly affectionate and social side that many visitors never get the chance to witness.

The bond between a mother hippo and her calf is incredibly strong, and watching these interactions often reminds us that family relationships in the wild are not all that different from our own.

The Magic Of St Lucia's Hippos

St Lucia is home to one of South Africa's largest hippo populations and offers some of the best opportunities anywhere in Africa to observe these remarkable animals in their natural environment.

Every evening they emerge from the water to graze. Every day they interact within their pods, raise their young and continue a way of life that has existed for thousands of years.

For many visitors, the hippos become an unexpected highlight of their holiday.

For me, they remain one of the most fascinating animals in Africa. Not because they are the biggest. Not because they are the most famous. But because the more time you spend with them, the more they reveal.

And like all great wildlife encounters, they remind us that there is always more to the story than first meets the eye.