Home » Happy Hippo Watches Traffic in Komatipoort. Photoshopped or Not?

Happy Hippo Watches Traffic in Komatipoort. Photoshopped or Not?

There’s a happy hippo (or he seems that way) that hangs out at the High Bridge, in Komatipoort, every afternoon and watches the traffic go by. Or so claim a few residents from Komatipoort in South Africa. Here’s the photo that’s gone viral, apparently taken by local Louw Pretorius: Ngwenya Marketing first posted the pic, […]

There’s a happy hippo (or he seems that way) that hangs out at the High Bridge, in Komatipoort, every afternoon and watches the traffic go by. Or so claim a few residents from Komatipoort in South Africa. Here’s the photo that’s gone viral, apparently taken by local Louw Pretorius:

Ngwenya Marketing first posted the pic, saying: “Hippo watching traffic at High Bridge in Komatipoort going towards Moz [Mozambique] border. Photo taken by friend Louw Pretorius.”

While the photo has gone viral, and most people believe it to be authentic… some have said it is “obviously” photoshopped and insist that no hippo would remain so still, and that there would be no ripples, movement or shadows around him.

In response Louw said “Luckily we don’t have to photoshop. We get real pics. In Gauteng the people only see [hippo] on photos.”

Louw said “ons kry die Hippo amper elke middag by die wal” (we find the hippo almost every afternoon at the wall).

Nicola Nell and Colin Pretorius also uploaded photos from different angles. Colin said: “Almost sighted every afternoon by locals.”

Pic: FB/Colin Pretorius – “Another photo from local Komatipoort resident, thank you for pic Adriaan Potgieter.”

So you decide – photoshopped or not?