“Just a casual Sunday night stroll in St Lucia looking for snacks…The hippo returned back to the lake after grazing around town.”
Durban – While shocked onlookers gasped at the sight of a hippopotamus walking around the Engen petrol station in the KwaZulu-Natal town of St Lucia, for residents of the popular tourist hub, it’s nothing new. They are used to seeing the animals around town.
On Sunday night, a video of the hippo’s stroll went viral on social media. Posting the video on their Facebook page, OK Express at Engen St Lucia said, “Just a casual Sunday night stroll in St Lucia looking for snacks…The hippo returned back to the lake after grazing around town.”
According to a manager at the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, which is home to around 900 hippos, this was not an unusual sight.
He said at least once a month, hippos stroll over to the petrol station. The manager added as long as no one goes near them or feeds them, they are not dangerous.
Another video of a hippo walking in the vicinity of the petrol station was also shared on social media three years ago.
Meanwhile, the lion that was reported to have lurking around Dundee earlier this month, has yet to be found. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife spokesperson, Musa Mntambo, said they have not managed to track down the lion.
On February 4, Mntambo said they were informed that a large male lion was spotted roaming around the northern KZN town.
“We will catch the lion using the best method at the time of sighting and having considered the human life around the area of sighting,” Mntambo said.
The Mercury
