Crocodile learns the hard way not to use hippos as stepping stones

This is the moment a cheeky crocodile met its match when it tried to use a herd of two-tonne hippos as stepping stones.

The croc was caught on camera trying to cross a pool in Tanzania despite being outnumbered by more than 50 huge hippos.

The intrepid reptile is seen clambering onto the back of the unsuspecting hippos before falling foul of a particularly disgruntled duo who trap the crocodile between their mouths and toss him back into the water.

The angry altercation was caught on camera by professional safari guide, Garth Thompson.

The 57-year-old from Zimbabwe was on a photographic safari in Katavi National Park in Tanzania when he saw the action unfold.

He told Caters News: "The Katuma River had dried up to no more than a string of muddy pools and a kaleidoscope of animals were coming down to find water - no matter how dirty.

"Of the numerous hippos in the park approximately 1000 were squashed into the various pools.

"The largest pool had around 500 hippo lying shoulder to shoulder and they had to share what little water there was with many hundreds of crocodiles.

"We were only into our first full day of the one-week stay when I spotted a crocodile, about a metre and half long , possibly only five years old, weighing about 20kgs.

"The croc was attempting to move to another section of water, however, the pool was completely surrounded by no less than 50 hippos weighing two-tonnes each.

"They were yawning some 150 degrees wide, showing off a mouth of razor sharp teeth.

"The croc clambered onto the raft of hippo, walking from back to back, with no visible annoyance from them until halfway through his journey, one hippo took slight umbrage at the cold blooded intruder and grabbed the croc in its mouth before tossing it to the side back into the water.

"Initially I thought this would be an occurrence we would encounter daily. However I was delighted I had photographed it, as during the next six days we never saw this spectacle of a crocodile walking over numbers hippos backs again.

"I was thrilled I was able to seize the moment."