This is maybe the last time I try this ground up, immersive approach on an African river bank, as when the adult hippo got up to charge, I had to move a little too quickly. I was always going to be okay as there were rocks between us and I had full confidence in my guide and his safety instructions, but it was not a totally comfortable two seconds.

This was taken a week ago in Ruaha in Tanzania and it was most certainly the last frame in that sequence. We are told that the human’s eyes are the windows to the soul. Well, I think these hippo eyes are quite instructive too as is the water swell around the advancing tanker of a body.

What an immense animal.