Hippo Pictures

Although it's possible to photograph hippos from land, they will usually be some distance from the banks of the river or lake, so you'll need a longish telephoto lens, preferably 300mm or more.

If a hippopotamus is near enough to allow a shorter lens, watch out! These massive animals are deceptively agile and can be out of the water in a split second, charging you on land at speeds of up to 40 km/h.

Best Way of Getting Close
The main advantage of taking hippo pictures from a canoe is that you can get quite close to them, whether they're in the water or on the banks, without upsetting them unduly.

But it's not advisable to try this on your own. Instead, join a canoe safari where you'll be led by an experienced river guide who understands hippo behavior and knows the river intimately.

The lower Zambezi River is renowned for its canoe safaris, operated from both Zimbabwe and Zambia.

This section of the river, lying between two national parks - Zimbabwe's Mana Pools (a World Heritage Site) and Lower Zambezi in Zambia - has little river traffic. There are also many channels and islands, making for excellent game viewing.

The biggest drawback of photographing from a canoe is that it's almost impossible to remain totally stationary because of the current. So you're always shooting from a moving position, making it difficult to frame and focus your subject.

Shaky Hands
And then there's the adrenaline rush and shaky hands, inevitable when you know you're about to paddle over submerged hippos ahead, while huge crocs sun themselves only meters away on the bank.

On these canoe safaris it's advisable to have your camera gear insured in case you take a dip. This quite often happens as you're stepping on to land from deepish water or, worst-case scenario - when you're tipped over by a hippo.

On a recent canoe safari on the Zambezi, I opted to take only a small Olympus digital camera with a good zoom lens, rather than a bulky and more expensive SLR body and lenses.

To find out more about hippos, see Hippo Information or try the search box further below, left.

Hippo Picture Captions
Row 1:
1.Hippo standing on the banks, Zambezi River, Zambia
2.Hippo takes to the water, Zambezi River, Zambia
3.Hippo moves to deeper water, Zambezi River, Zambia

Row 2:
1.Hippo front-on view, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
2.Hippo lifting its head, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
3.Hippo walking, side view, Kruger National Park, S Africa

Row 3:
1.Hippo on banks of Zambezi River, Zambia
2.Hippos sleeping on riverbank, Zambezi River, Zambia
3.Hippos in yawning display, Sabi Sand, South Africa

Row 4:
1.Hippo eating water plants, Chobe River, Botswana
2.Hippo in shallow water, Chobe River, Botswana
3.Hippo approaches crocs, Kruger National Park, S Africa

Row 5:
1.Hippo pair on sandy river bank, Kruger Park, South Africa
2.Hippo with egret on head, Zambezi River, Zambia
3.Pod of hippos sunbathing, Chobe River, Botswana

Row 6:
1.Hippo pair, Kapama Game Reserve, South Africa
2.Hippo grazing with antelope, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
3.Hippos in Zambezi River, Zambia

Row 7:
1.Hippo in yawning display, Moremi Game Reserve, Botswana
2.Hippo grazing on river bank, Zambezi River, Zambia
3.Hippo close-up, Kruger National Park, South Africa

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