Hippo spits out Uganda toddler after 'swallowing' him partially

A hippopotamus has partially swallowed a 2-year-old boy in Uganda near his home, swallowing half of his body before spitting him out.

Iga Paul was playing on the shores of Lake Edward, about 800-metres from the boy's home, when the hippo attacked on December 4.

Police said the animal grabbed the toddler and partially swallowed him in a highly unusual land attack in the area.

A bystander intervened and threw stones at the hippo to try and stop the attack.

Eventually, the hippo was scared off and spit the boy out before retreating to the lake.

"It took the bravery of one Chrispas Bagonza, who was nearby, to save the victim after he stoned the hippo and scared it, causing it to release the victim from its mouth," police said in a statement. 

"This is the first such kind of incident where a hippo strayed out of Lake Edward and attacked a young child."

Deadliest mammals

The toddler was taken to Bwera Hospital in Western Uganda to treat injuries and was given a rabies vaccine.

"Although the hippo was scared back into the lake, all residents near animal sanctuaries and habitats should know that wild animals are very dangerous. Instinctually, wild animals see humans as a threat and any interaction can cause them to act strangely or aggressively," warned police.

Hippos kill an estimated 500 people every year in Africa, according to popular US magazine National Geographic and are considered one of the world's deadliest mammals — twice as much as lions.