Moment baby hippopotamus bravely tries to scare away a giant rhinoceros from a waterhole

A baby hippopotamus displayed remarkable courage as it attempted to intimidate a much larger rhinoceros at the waterhole. 

Hippos are typically known for their aggressive behavior, but this behavior is usually observed in fully grown adults. In this rare case, the juvenile hippo seemed to have learned from the adults around it and decided to mimic their behavior. 

Wildlife enthusiast Clive Else captured this extraordinary moment at Welgevonden Game Reserve in Limpopo, South Africa. The young hippo bravely stood its ground, trying to protect its grazing grass and access to water from the imposing rhinoceros.

The small hippo opens its mouth and assumes a threatening posture in an attempt to intimidate the rhino and drive it away from the watering hole.

Throughout the video, the young hippo makes multiple attempts to scare off the large rhino, while its two companions remain just out of sight. Each time, the hippo retreats momentarily and returns to the water, only to emerge again and try its luck.

Despite its small size, the little creature mimics the threat display commonly used by adult hippos to showcase their massive tusks, although this baby hippo has much smaller tusks.

Mr. Else and his wife were enjoying a weekend getaway at Nungubane Lodge when they witnessed this spectacle during a game drive with a guide from the game reserve.

By opening its mouth, the young hippo tries to appear menacing as it persistently attempts to chase away the rhino.

Mr. Else shared his astonishment, saying, "Initially, I couldn't believe what was unfolding before us as we arrived at the water hole. At first, I thought it was a baby rhino attempting to join a group of adults. There were three sub-adult males grazing on the bank of the water hole. However, I quickly realized it was too small to be a rhino. It was a hippo, and its mother was lurking in the water just a few meters away."

In the end, the rhino pursues the little hippo, who retreats in fear and scampers back into the safety of the watering hole.