On February 19th and 20th of 2023, flooding of the Vaal river in South Africa caused an unfortunate situation for 8 hippopotamuses at the Letsatsi La Africa Wild Animal and Predator Park. The flooding was so severe that it caused the animals to be swept away in the floodwaters.
The park, located just outside of the town of Orkney in the North-West Province of South Africa, is aptly named Letsatsie La Africa meaning “Sunrise over Africa”. Unfortunately, the sunrise has not been as bright for these 8 hippos as they have been swept away in the flood waters and no one is sure how far they have travelled.
Riaan Roux, a renowned YouTuber and Drone Operator, was asked on the morning of 23 February to use his Phantom 4 drone to help in the search for the lost hippos. He quickly realized the challenge of the task – where does one even begin? With the search area being so vast, it can be difficult to comprehend the limitations of using a drone. Despite this, Riaan was determined to use his drone to assist in the search. He was confident that with his experience and knowledge, he could help in the mission to find the lost hippos.
He says since the flooding, reports of sightings have been reported as far away as the town of Bloemhof. However, these reports are yet to be confirmed and the search for these 8 hippos continues.
The search for these missing hippos is a difficult task as they could be anywhere in the river system. However, the team at Letsatsi La Africa have not given up hope and has put out a call for all animal lovers to help find these 8 hippos.
Tags: Bloemhof