In an astonishing scene captured in Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park, a baby hippo boldly challenges a crocodile that was peacefully minding its own business.

While encounters between these two species are infrequent, occasional competition arises for shared food sources. Hippos, being omnivores, and crocodiles, strictly carnivorous, may find themselves vying for the same prey. It’s not uncommon to witness instances where both species feed on the same carcass, either near water or even within it. However, despite these interactions, they are far from what one would consider friends.

58-Year old tour guide and photographer, Jan Hrbáček from WildPhoto was utterly fortunate to experience this rare interaction and shared the exciting story with LatestSightings.com:

A sizable crocodile lounged in the sun along the waterhole’s bank. Soon, two hippos emerged and ventured toward the crocodile. One of them proceeded to nip at the crocodile’s tail. Though visibly perturbed, the crocodile refrained from immediate retaliation.