Johannesburg – One of Johannesburg’s busiest suburbs, Fourways, has a wild hippopotamus on the lose on their streets.
It is believed that conservation officials are now looking for the animal near the Jukskei River.
Officials have called on the public not to approach the hippo if they do come across it but rather to report its location.
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The hippopotamus, also called the hippo, common hippopotamus or river hippopotamus, is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal and ungulate native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus.
WARNING TO RESIDENTS OF GAUTENG FOURWAYS – JUKSKEI RIVER AREA : HIPPO VISITING. pic.twitter.com/NDpaC2dh1d
— REZA (@crimeairnetwork) January 11, 2021
Hippos are aggressive and are considered very dangerous. They have large teeth and tusks that they use for fighting off threats, including humans. Sometimes, their young fall victim to adult hippos’ tempers. During a fight between two adults, a young hippo caught in the middle can be seriously hurt or even crushed.
Twitter have reacted to the beast on the lose.
Take a look at some of the tweets below:
if the hippo wants to be a Fourways DJ:
HipHopopotamus https://t.co/Hg25U52EQl
— Kirsty (@KirstBallard) January 14, 2021
https://twitter.com/BinweA/status/1349667663220498432?s=20
#IamSingleBecause I got chased by the Hippo in Fourways while waiting for my GF to come out, now she does not believe me pic.twitter.com/cK5FNPh2pZ
— Mntano Mntlane (@LMkonqo) January 14, 2021
No more parties in Fourways
— SKINDEEP (@SkindeepJD) January 14, 2021
https://twitter.com/_nmnde/status/1349650998323773442?s=20
https://twitter.com/danincpt/status/1349662997485072385?s=20
So there's an animal galivanting through large bodies of water in Fourways, but South Africans can't do the same anywhere? The hippocrisy
— Dan Corder 🎙 5FM Breakfast (@DanCorderOnAir) January 14, 2021
https://twitter.com/TheeRealSibo/status/1349620933619802113?s=20
The hippo is just minding it's own business looking for a townhouse in Fourways…
Nina hey hey hippo pic.twitter.com/sU27GSjLK4— Inenekazi 💃🏽💃🏽💃🏽 (@Inenekazi1) January 14, 2021
I’m so invested on that story about the hippo running around Fourways
— G-$tackz (@Gershforthewin) January 14, 2021
Gotwe people in Fourways don’t pay their insurance and now Hippo is out and about to collect premiums 😂
PS: stay safe. Apparently the animal is in the Fourways area. pic.twitter.com/VK8MnB9DH0
— Tshepang Koloko (@TshepangKoloko) January 11, 2021
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