Two hippopotamuses opened their enormous mouths almost simultaneously, creating an extraordinary duet on Uganda’s Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The Kazinga Channel in Queen Elizabeth National Park is one of Uganda’s finest places for observing hippopotamuses. During a boat cruise near the Mweya Peninsula, I found myself close enough to see not only their immense bodies, but also behaviour that can easily be missed from a distance.
Two hippos opened their mouths almost simultaneously, revealing their impressive tusks. They looked like a pair of singers performing an exceptionally powerful duet—each in a different key, yet both displaying equal commitment. Although the gesture may resemble an ordinary yawn, in hippos it can also serve as a display of strength and a form of communication.
I photographed the scene from a boat, almost at water level. This low perspective makes the animals appear even more massive, while the droplets and splashing water add movement to the frame. The calm surface of the channel contrasts with the sudden energy of the moment.
This is one of those photographs for which nature writes the entire script. All I had to do was remain at a safe distance and release the shutter at precisely the moment the performance began.
- Date
- 2026-01-01