Photo Credit: Michael Nichols - National Geographic
In Loango National Park, Gabon, hippos have been spotted doing something you’d never expect—surfing! Unlike typical hippos who stick to rivers, these unique ones venture into the Atlantic Ocean, occasionally catching waves along the shoreline.
This rare and surprising behavior has drawn the attention of wildlife enthusiasts and adventurers, offering a glimpse of hippos in a way most people have never seen.
From May through September, visitors have a chance to witness these coastal hippos navigating the waves.
This rare phenomenon may be an adaptive behavior that allows the animals to get to grasses and vegetation along the beach or even simply a natural curiosity that has led them beyond their freshwater domain.
Explore more:
Surfing hippos of Gabon (video)