After Hippo Kills Wife, NJ Man Sues Safari Operator

A New Jersey man who says he watched as his wife was brutally killed by one of the most dangerous animals on Earth has filed a lawsuit, which, to be clear, is not against the hippopotamus. Rather, Craig Manders is suing the Connecticut tour operator that arranged for he and his wife, Lisa, to visit southern Africa last year. "The idea that we were unwittingly exposed to such an extreme danger, a danger made even worse by our tour guides leaving Lisa alone on foot with nothing between her and such a deadly animal, is nothing short of astonishing," Manders says in a statement released by his attorneys, per NBC News.

A lawyer for tour operator African Portfolio says the company arranges trips to some of the most reputable safari lodges in Africa but is not responsible for what happens on those trips—whether during a flight or a safari. According to the lawsuit, the couple were five days into a 10-day safari in Zambia last June when guides took them on a "bush walk" along a riverbank, where they spotted a lone hippo resting in the water. The guides, at least one of whom carried a rifle, soon left the group, leaving 70-year-old Lisa exposed as the hippo "charged out of the water ... grabbing her by its mouth, lifting her off the ground, shaking her entire body, and crushing her head and body with its bite," per the suit.

Her preventable death is "a devastating loss," says a traumatized Manders, who's seeking at least $15,000 in damages. "Had we understood the dangers posed by the hippopotamus, we never would have agreed to be in such close contact while on foot." He argues African Portfolio, which promises "an outstanding wildlife experience" on its Zambia Bush Adventure, was negligent in failing to ensure basic safety precautions and provide an adequate warning of the risks posed by the territorial animal, per USA Today. The outlet notes company representatives accompany travelers on each leg of the trip, including to Lower Zambezi National Park, were the attack is believed to have occurred. (More lawsuit stories.)