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Zimbabwean woman saves American tourist from hippo's jaws
2 hrs ago |
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The tranquil waters of Kariba turned into a scene of terror on Saturday night when a 22-year-old local woman bravely rescued an American tourist from a vicious hippopotamus attack at Lomagundi Lakeside Resort.
The tourist, identified only as Mary, sustained severe injuries to both legs and is currently in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in Harare.
The incident occurred at around 9PM, disrupting what had been a relaxed evening for Ms Shayna Peacock and her friends, who were in Kariba for a fishing tournament.
Recounting the ordeal, Ms Peacock said she was alerted by a resort staff member to an "incident involving a hippo." She immediately enlisted the help of her friend, Mr Benjamin Ferreira, who has wildlife experience, and rushed to the scene.
"Driving up, the first thing I saw was the lady - her name is Mary. She was lying on the ground and there was this huge hippo. This male hippo was standing maybe five metres away from her, just staring directly at her. It was a horrifying sight," Ms Peacock said.
With Ferreira and a security guard armed only with a baton, they attempted to distract the animal by hooting, shouting, and using Ms Peacock's car. Ferreira then hurled a rock in the hippo's direction, breaking its focus long enough for Ms Peacock to position her vehicle between Mary and the beast.
She rushed to Mary's side, checking vital signs and keeping her calm while waiting for an ambulance. "Honestly, when I reached her, I was more panicked than she was. When I realised how calm she was, I had to compose myself so I wouldn't stress her out even more," Ms Peacock explained.
Mary was stabilised at a clinic in Kariba before being transferred to Harare for advanced medical care.
Ms Peacock has been hailed as a heroine, though she credits the collective effort. "The real heroes were the people who managed to get that ambulance there quickly and calmly," she said.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson, Mr Tinashe Farawo, said he could not immediately confirm the incident.
The tourist, identified only as Mary, sustained severe injuries to both legs and is currently in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit of a private hospital in Harare.
The incident occurred at around 9PM, disrupting what had been a relaxed evening for Ms Shayna Peacock and her friends, who were in Kariba for a fishing tournament.
Recounting the ordeal, Ms Peacock said she was alerted by a resort staff member to an "incident involving a hippo." She immediately enlisted the help of her friend, Mr Benjamin Ferreira, who has wildlife experience, and rushed to the scene.
"Driving up, the first thing I saw was the lady - her name is Mary. She was lying on the ground and there was this huge hippo. This male hippo was standing maybe five metres away from her, just staring directly at her. It was a horrifying sight," Ms Peacock said.
With Ferreira and a security guard armed only with a baton, they attempted to distract the animal by hooting, shouting, and using Ms Peacock's car. Ferreira then hurled a rock in the hippo's direction, breaking its focus long enough for Ms Peacock to position her vehicle between Mary and the beast.
She rushed to Mary's side, checking vital signs and keeping her calm while waiting for an ambulance. "Honestly, when I reached her, I was more panicked than she was. When I realised how calm she was, I had to compose myself so I wouldn't stress her out even more," Ms Peacock explained.
Mary was stabilised at a clinic in Kariba before being transferred to Harare for advanced medical care.
Ms Peacock has been hailed as a heroine, though she credits the collective effort. "The real heroes were the people who managed to get that ambulance there quickly and calmly," she said.
Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority spokesperson, Mr Tinashe Farawo, said he could not immediately confirm the incident.
Source - The Chronicle
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