Hippo in Uganda ‘eats’ 2-year-old boy, brave bystander rescues child

A Ugandan toddler escaped death by a whisker after he was swallowed by a hippo.

The two-year-old boy, Iga Paul, was attacked by a hippopotamus close to the shores of Lake Edward,  where he was playing.

Ugandan police said the hippo sprung from the waters and charged toward the boy, and grabbed him by the head before swallowing him.

The beast then spit the boy out.

A two-year-old boy is safe and has made a full recovery after a brave bystander rescued him from the jaws of an angry hippopotamus. The boy was nearly swallowed whole before he was rescued, Uganda police said.

The hippo attack occurred on Dec. 4, at around 3:00 p.m. near the boy’s home on the shores of Lake Edward, in the Kasese District in western Uganda. The area is located within Queen Elizabeth National Park, home to several lakes and nature preserves and a popular tourist destination.

Uganda police said the boy, Iga Paul, was playing outside his home when a hippo strayed out of Lake Edward and attacked him.

The hippo seized the boy from the head and swallowed half of his body, according to police.

But a bystander, Chrispas Bagonza, witnessed the attack and rushed to the boy’s aid. He threw stones at the hippo and scared the animal, causing it to release Paul from its mouth, police said

The boy was immediately rushed to a nearby medical clinic. He was treated for injuries on his hand and later transferred to Bwera Hospital for further treatment. He made a full recovery and was discharged from the hospital and returned to his parents after receiving a vaccine for rabies, authorities said.