We got up and out before the hippos got up and in. They often leave the water at night and can be found grazing at dawn. As soon as the sun gets hot, however, they generally get back into the water. Their skin is very susceptible to burning and they spend the hot part of the day with their bodies fully submerged. You can see cape buffalo in the background not yet fully awake. Photographed on the Masai Mara plains in Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 240mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/250th of a second.
How do hippos get anything done? When I stay up all night eating in the dark, then soak in the tub of the rest of the day, my to-do list just gets longer and longer.
I love the shots that show multiple types of animals in one view–it’s how life really looks in Africa: hippos & cape buffalo, impalas and fish eagles, giraffes & zebras, and the list goes on. Hippos are true behemoths, and this one looks just relaxed chewing on a blade of grass. Nice. Thanks for waking up early!
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We got up and out before the hippos got up and in. They often leave the water at night and can be found grazing at dawn. As soon as the sun gets hot, however, they generally get back into the water. Their skin is very susceptible to burning and they spend the hot part of the day with their bodies fully submerged. You can see cape buffalo in the background not yet fully awake. Photographed on the Masai Mara plains in Kenya. Nikon D300 with Nikkor 200-400mm lens (at 240mm) ISO 800, f/4 at 1/250th of a second.
How do hippos get anything done? When I stay up all night eating in the dark, then soak in the tub of the rest of the day, my to-do list just gets longer and longer.
I love the shots that show multiple types of animals in one view–it’s how life really looks in Africa: hippos & cape buffalo, impalas and fish eagles, giraffes & zebras, and the list goes on. Hippos are true behemoths, and this one looks just relaxed chewing on a blade of grass. Nice. Thanks for waking up early!
Love this photo, Sean – the early morning light on the hippo & those glimpses of the cape buffalo in the background really add to the setting.
Hippos can be so dangerous out of the water. Hope you were far away!