Fotas

LUKULA, TANZANIA – OCTOBER 2010: As some of the bloat members dash to the shore to get away from the fight, the unlucky crocodile ends up on a female’s back in October 2010 in Lukula, Tanzania. The crocodile can be seen in the foreground.

Piggybacking is a well known activity but this crocodile got the wrong end of the stick and ended up hippo-backing. Rare and hilarious pictures show how the large reptilian got caught in the middle of a hippopotamus fight and mistakenly ended up on top of one of the powerful mammals – several times bigger than himself. In fact the three-ton hippo was so distracted by the commotion around her she had no idea a five-year-old predator was perched on her back. British wildlife guide, Mark Johnson, from Newcastle, was taking tourists on a river safari last month when one of the party noticed the bizarre event at a watering hole on the Luwego River near Lukula, Tanzania, after a clash between two aggressive males in her bloat (CORR – the term for a group of hippos). She made her way to shore but ended up with the scaly intruder on her back as she emerged from the water. It allowed 31 year-old Mark to get these pictures. He and his party watched as the croc clung on for half-a-minute before unceremoniously sliding into the water and escaping.

IMAGE SUPPLIED BY MARK SHERIDAN-JOHNSON / BARCROFT MEDIA LTD

UK Office, London.
T +44 845 370 2233
W www.barcroftmedia.com

USA Office, New York City.
T +1 212 564 8159
W www.barcroftusa.com

Indian Office, Delhi.
T +91 114 653 2118
W www.barcroftindia.com

Australasian & Pacific Rim Office, Melbourne.
E info@barcroftpacific.com
T +613 9510 3188 or +613 9510 0688
W www.barcroftpacific.com