Hippo: Wild Feast Live

Hippo: Life After Death

Oct 20, 201145 min

Hippo: Wild Feast Live will document this extraordinary event for seven days. You can watch live online around the clock and tune in daily every evening for a quick update from our presenter in the field, Mark Evans.

Day 1

Oct 21, 201145 min

The hippo is bloated with the gases that build up inside it because of bacteria in the digestive system. Blow flies will already have entered the carcass to lay their eggs, and frogs have been feeding on these insects. Other scavengers such

Day 2

Oct 22, 201145 min

Mark has counted 36 vultures on the carcass, these are hooded and white-backed vultures. The vultures are feeding on the soft parts of the hippo's head as the skin elsewhere will be tough to break through. A marabou stork is looking on. Cro

Day 3

Oct 23, 201145 min

A mass of vultures is now on the hippo. Crocodiles and hyenas managed to break into the carcass last night by tugging at the front leg. The vultures are now largely congregating around the stump where they can reach inside the body to feed.

Day 4

Oct 24, 201145 min

Though the hippo looks dried out there is still plenty of food inside and the crocodiles have been stretching into the cavity to feed. Many insects also feed at night, including crickets. Some crickets are predatory and eat the maggots aro

Day 5

Oct 25, 201145 min

Vultures and marabou storks are once again on the carcass which has been decimated by hyenas and crocodiles feeding through the night. Several other bird species have been spotted around the carcass feeding on flies, maggots and other insec