A message doing the rounds on social media, regarding an alleged shooting at a hippo in Richards Bay yesterday, has gained much attention.

Zululand Observer reports that the message, forwarded many times on WhatsApp, claims that the shooting occurred at Pelican Island.

With no date given and no name attached, the message is written by someone who ‘heard from my one friend’, who had been fishing at Pelican Island, about the alleged incident.

The message claims that there were many people at Pelican Island when ‘the hippos arrived and wanted to come out to eat’.

It goes on to say that a taxi driver fired shots into the ground in an attempt to scare away the hippos, which did not work.

The message then accuses the man of shooting a hippo in its back.

While the message alleged that a 9mm was the weapon used in this incident, there is no indication that the bullet penetrated the hippo’s thick hide or that it was injured.

While the community’s animal lovers are understandably up in arms, there is at this stage no proof of the claims in this message.

“I have checked with our security company and the head of traffic, who also checked with the SAPS, and no shooting incidents have been reported in the past week,” said City of uMhlathuze Deputy Mayor Christo Botha, speaking to Zululand Observer today.

Botha urged residents not to forward unverified messages and asked that anyone who witnesses such an incident to report it to the police.

“I have since spoken to someone who said the incident occurred at 23:00 on Monday night in the Bay Hall area, but is not willing to state their name.

“As it stands, it’s hearsay as it cannot be proven.”

Richards Bay SPCA chairperson Engela Hamman requested that anyone who witnesses animal cruelty report it to them, including a video or photographic evidence.

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