National Geographic Documentaries

Hippo Hell (2007x5)

: 01, 2007

Deep in the heart of Zambia lies one of Africa’s best kept secrets. This is the home of one of the biggest hippo communities in the world. But this summer will be the toughest ever on record as water is scarce and a rare, natural outbreak of anthrax hits the community. Two brothers face a deadly battle over territory while a young mother and her calf, desperate to survive, journey to the river in search of water. As bloated and putrefying corpses start to appear, it appears the river is spreading the disease. The young mother succumbs after drinking the water, leaving her calf to fend for itself. For the brothers, each lick of an infected carcass transfers lethal amounts of anthrax. Will they survive to fight the living breathing opponent vying for their patch of ground before the rains come to sweep the deadly curse of anthrax away? This is a hippo story like no other, following the lives of those tough enough to survive hippo hell.