Angry Giraffe Attacks Safari Tourists!

And we always thought Geoffrey the Giraffe was the perfect, non-threatening mascot for Toys 'R Us...

Tourists hoping to get up close and personal with wildlife while on safari in the Kruger National Park in South Africa got a little too close for comfort when a thirteen-foot tall, two & a half ton bull giraffe decided to attack!

Video from the scene shows the tourists enjoying a beautiful day out in the bush, observing the incredible animals and sights the world-famous park has to offer. Suddenly, a male giraffe takes exception to the holiday makers and their tour guide and driver and he starts to charge their open-air jeep!

The jeep takes off, but the cranky giraffe continues his pursuit. He even rams the jeep with his powerful, long neck, which actually does some minor damage to the vehicle, taking out a headlight! The giraffe continues to give chase as the safari tourists excitedly shout out expletives in Afrikaans, before the lumbering beast finally tires and stops in his tracks.

As large as they are, experts say that giraffes can actually run as fast as 35-miles-per-hour, a fairly quick pace! Vets believe a hormonal imbalance might be the cause of the animal's crankiness. Either that, or he just finally got sick of the paparazzo...You can check out the scary attack in the video below:

Prince Harry the Pygmy Hippo Dies

Photo: Facebook/Cango Wildlife Ranch

Prince Harry, the adorable pygmy hippopotamus rejected by its mother who became an internet sensation, has died suddenly.

The 3-month old cutie, who was being hand raised at the Cango Wildlife Ranch in Outdshoorn, South Africa, died suddenly from respiratory arrest and heart failure while having emergency surgery to repair an umbilical hernia. Despite repeated attempts by staff to revive the animal, he never regained consciousness and died on the operating table. 

The tiny hippo quickly became an internet sensation after photographs of him giving a care-giver a tender smooch on the nose were posted on the wildlife ranch's official website as well as their Facebook page. 

During his short life, Harry helped raise awareness of the plight of the endangered pygmy hippo in Africa, of which there are only an estimated 3,000 remaining in the wild. To view more photographs of tiny Harry or to leave a note of condolence, you may visit Prince Harry's Facebook page. 

Rhino Dies During Anti-Poaching Medical Procedure

What was supposed to be a positive event to prevent poaching of endangered white rhinos in South Africa turned into a tragedy when one of the giant animals died during a demonstration for the press.

The enormous white rhino named Spencer was put under sedation so veterinarians in South Africa could implant a micro-chip tracking device into the giant's horn as well as place dye in the horn to prevent the animal from being poached. Rhino horns are valued for their supposed "aphrodisiac" and medicinal properties throughout many parts of the world.

As invited press and cameras looked on, the vets and minders taking part in the procedure were unable to revive the rhinoceros, stunning the doctors and onlookers as well. "It’s a tragedy, it’s a disaster," says Charles van Niekerk, the doctor who developed the anti-poaching technique.

Placing such a large animal under anesthesia is always a risk, doctors assert, but Spencer is the first rhino to die while being sedated for the procedure. Doctors will continue to use the procedure to tag and track the animals, as the poaching situation has placed the creatures on the very brink of extinction. Conservationists believe over 440 white rhinos were killed last year alone.

Charge! Antelope Headbutts Biker

A bike racer in South Africa got quite the surprise while whizzing along a course in the African savannah...an antelope coming out of nowhere and headbutting him off his bicycle!

17-year-old Evan van der Spuy was speeding along the open path as part of the Time Freight MTB Express Mountain race outside of Pietermartizburg, South Africa, when the rampaging red Hartebeest decided to take him out of the race! Evan's team mate was riding along behind him with a helmet-cam, which caught the high-impact surprise on video! The video clearly shows the enormous animal colliding with Evan's bicycle, sending the teen flying high into the air before hitting the hard ground below. The animal wastes no time getting back on his feet and taking off again, leaving an injured and groaning van der Spuy on the ground. His worried friend immediately checks to see that he is okay. The impact smashed van der Spuy's helmet and left him with a minor concussion, whiplash and lots of bruises, but he is thankful that the incident didn't end in a much worse tragedy. He called the entire incident "freaky". That would be my word for it, too. You can view the video below: