Night of the HUNGRY HIPPOS!

(adventure music) - Alright guys, we've seen four

hippos

. The most dangerous animal in all of South Africa. And we're safe inside this vehicle, but I'm going to get out of it. (Door slams) Let's see if I can get close to a hippo. (the hippopotamus roars and growls) The

hippos

are coming! Go! Let's go, Let's go, Let's go, Let's go! (adventure music) - The grasslands of South Africa seem to stretch on forever. An infinite playground, where under the heat of the sun, animals enjoy this wild place. However, as the afternoon progresses and the sun slowly falls behind the horizon, darkness arrives and casts a very different feeling.

As if under the cover of

night

fall, the beast emerges from its hiding place. What's going on, pack of coyotes? We are currently in South Africa. And to

night

there is a full moon, which is the perfect opportunity for us to see animals. However, we are going to employ some new technology. Look at this. Mario, lower the light a little. Alright, Marcos, are you ready? - Infrared is on. Oh great, this camera technology will help us see animals at night. And because a storm has just arrived, it's the perfect time for one of the largest land mammals, the hippopotamus, to come up from the river systems and start feeding.

So if you're ready, let's see if we can get one of these giants up close for the cameras. - The Kriega Game Reserve spans 10 hectares of wilderness in the Eastern Cape. And this protected area provides refuge to several of South Africa's largest animals, including rhinos, elephants and the unmistakable hippopotamus. Seeing elephants and rhinos in daylight is quite common, as these giant herbivores, with their tough, leathery skin, are quite resistant to the scorching rays of the sun. When it comes to hippos, their skin is much more sensitive and they spend most of their days grazing in the cool confines of rivers and billabongs.

That is, until the sun disappears and the moon illuminates the savanna. (suspense music) Yes, it's still hot. Definitely fresh hippo droppings, but the soil here is very dense. Really rocky. I don't really see any clues. Actually, right next to the vehicle, this is where they would have arrived. Oh yeah. Watch this. There is a clue. Actually, that's a clue that goes back to the water. These are fresh; check it out. You can see the different markings on the toes. Wow! I can smell them. It smells like a hippopotamus down here. - If they eat you right now, this will be the best video of all time...

Just kidding. - Yes, I was just thinking the same thing. You probably don't want to be right next to the water when you just passed a hippo. Actually, the prints came from... There are some here too. Alright, hippos are up and moving, which means there's a good chance we'll find them. Alright, let's keep walking. (engine starts) - On a full moon, once the human eye adjusts to the darkness, it is surprising how well one can see. When it comes to cameras, by using the combination of infrared technology and night vision settings, they can see even further than the human eye, which will provide a much-needed advantage when spotting

hungry

hippos in the distance.

So, Coyote, are these hippos going to come out of the water? - Yes, at night hippos come out of the water because they are very sensitive to sunlight. Their bodies can burn very easily, so they come out at night to feed among all the wet grass. They can now travel up to six miles away from their main water source. So if we're lucky, we'll see them grazing. For an animal that can weigh almost 4,000 pounds, hippos can cover quite a distance in a fairly short time. And as they move away from the water and muddy embankments, it becomes increasingly difficult to track them.

So, as we slowly ventured through the park, we knew that having an encounter meant being in exactly the right place at exactly the right time. (suspense music) Alright, guys, we've seen four hippos. The most dangerous animal in all of South Africa. And we are safe inside this vehicle, but I'm going to get out of it. (Door slams) Let's see if I can get close to a hippo. (the hippopotamus roars and growls) - Coyote, you came back so soon. - Yes, the hippos are coming. Go! Let's go, Let's go, Let's go, Let's go. (engine starts) Just kidding.

When it comes to dangerous animals, hippos are undoubtedly one of the deadliest in South Africa. And whether in water or on land, they are fast, reaching speeds of nearly 20 miles per hour. So tempting fate by getting dangerously close on foot was simply not an option. So the search continues. (intense music) Alright, ready. You're rolling. - Yes. - There it is, out there. You see it? He still doesn't realize he's been seen, and the really interesting thing about hippos is that their eyes glow red in the light. Almost like a crocodile. Oh, I really want to get out of the vehicle and try to get closer, but that's too dangerous.

If you look at an animal that size, actually, compared to the elephant and the white rhino, this is the third heaviest land animal in the world. That mouth is huge, and they can open their jaws like this, and they have those huge ivory tusks, and that's what will do the damage. And males can often be very territorial. Not only do they fight with other males but they also kill younger males, specifically babies, if they are not their own. Oh, now he knows he's been found out. Look at the nostrils. It's cool the way they are positioned on top of the snout like that.

It's great to be so close to this animal. - It's pretty close. It's not noticeable on camera, but it's... What would you say? - Is near. It's about 30 meters away from us right now. And I wish I could get out of the vehicle and get them closer, but hippos, even though they're big and chubby, can be pretty fast, and if you get scared and run in this direction, you'd be in serious trouble. - Are we in any danger right now? - No. Not at this moment at all because we're inside this vehicle, but if I got out and tried to get closer, the cameras closer, you guys closer, this could be the last episode of Breaking Trail that we do.

Let me try to call him. Wait. (roars and growls) I've caught his attention. He turned his head here. Here we go. (Coyote roars and growls) (more growling) This is clearly working. We have the hippo's full attention right now. Once again, here we go. (roars and growls) It's a little more like a baboon's noise than a hippo's, but it definitely gets the animal's attention. - I don't think it's working. - No. He's not getting any closer. He says, "I'm going to go back to chewing this wet grass." - Oh. - Watch this. Hippopotamus in motion. Look at those short, stubby legs.

Like plump little sausages. Slowly edging the hippo through the undergrowth. Well, how cool was this? Going out with night vision technology and getting a hippo, relatively close for the cameras. I'm Coyote Peterson. Be brave. Stay wild. See you on the next adventure. (roars and growls) I consider the hippopotamus, despite its popular place in human culture, to be one of the strangest mammals in nature. From an intimidating size to a moody attitude, they are certainly an animal best admired from a distance. Watching them safely out of the water and behaving naturally under the cover of night was a fascinating encounter.

And our distance leaves us plenty of opportunity to one day return to Kariega Game Reserve, where we hope to bring the cameras even closer. Hello Coyote Pack, I have interesting news. I'm proud to announce that the team and I will be returning to tour with Brave Wilderness Live. Our next shows will take place in the Midwest. Tickets can be purchased on the Brave Wilderness website and these shows are sure to sell out. So be sure to reserve your seats today and don't forget to subscribe so you can join me and the crew on our next big adventure.

I'm Coyote Peterson. Be brave. - Stay wild.