oxpeckers

Help, Mum, the birds won't leave me alone: Hilarious moment baby hippo decides he doesn't like his new found feathered friends

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• Hippos and oxpeckers normally enjoy a mutually beneficial relationship
• The birds help free hippos of ticks and other parasites by feeding on them
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By STEVE HOPKINS FOR MAILONLINE

A baby hippo brayed for rescue after a flock of birds landed on its back and tried to hitch a ride. 

The hippo was seen running and twisting its body from side to side in an attempt to shake off his unwanted passengers. 

Oxpeckers and hippos usually have a mutually beneficial relationship where the birds help free hippos of ticks and other parasites by feeding on them.

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The hippo calls out for its mother as the oxpeckers begin pecking at its back in the Zambia national park

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The hippo began running for the water in an effort to scare off the birds which were in no hurry to leave

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Photographer Marc Mol who captured the pictures said: 'I love the expression on this little guy's face as he frantically tries to fend off what he sees as annoying pests'

But judging by these images the oxpeckers proved to be a far from welcome guest. 

Shocked by the bird's arrival on its back the calf ran towards the water in the South Luangwa National Park in Zambia in an attempt to scare them off.

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• NAnd it wasn't long before they gave up trying to feed on the hippo and flew away.

Marc Mol, 56, captured the encounter while he was crouched low in a river focusing his lens on a pod of hippos. 

He said: 'I was busy concentrating on a pod of hippos, when all of a sudden I saw the baby running toward me with his pursuers.

'I was at first astonished as to what was going on, seeing this baby hippo running towards me and the safety of water and then realised it was a small flock of Ox-peckers that were the culprits. It was very amusing to witness.

'The baby hippo was clearly not used to the Red Yellow oxpeckers on his back.'

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Oxpeckers and hippos usually have a mutually beneficial relationship where the birds help free hippos of ticks and other parasites by feeding on them

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Mr Mol said the hippo tolerated the birds for about 10 seconds before he wanted to get them off

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As the hippo neared the waters edge, cleared exhausted from the ordeal, the oxpeckers begin to fly away

Mr Mol, from Switzerland, said within about 10 second the hippo wanted the birds off his back. 

He said: 'He was attempting to rid them off his back by twisting and shaking as he scrambled back to the safety of mum and the water.'

Mr Mol said in time, the hippo will come to appreciate his feathered friends.  

'One will always see oxpeckers on the adult hippos, as they share a symbiotic relationship, but a first for me with such a young one and his associated funny antics.

'I had a real laugh when I realised that I had captured something a little different and yet very amusing.

'I love the expression on this little guy's face as he frantically tries to fend off what he sees as annoying pests.'

The Jewish Samurai...

Once upon a time, a powerful Emperor of the Rising Sun advertised for a new Chief Samurai.  After a year, only three applied for the job:  a Japanese, a Chinese and a Jewish Samurai.    "Demonstrate your skills!" commanded the Emperor. The Japanese samurai stepped forward, opened a tiny box and released a fly. He drew his samurai sword and *Swish!* the fly fell to the floor, neatly divided in two! "What a feat!" said the Emperor. "Number Two Samurai, show me what you do." The Chinese samurai smiled confidently, stepped forward and opened a tiny box, releasing a fly.He drew his samurai sword and *Swish! *Swish!* The fly fell to the floor neatly quartered. "That is skill!" nodded the Emperor.  "How are you going to top that, Number three Samurai?" The Jewish samurai, Yoku Cohen, stepped forward, opened a tiny box releasing one fly, drew his samurai sword and *Swoosh!* flourished his sword mightily, but the fly was still buzzing around! In disappointment, the Emperor said, "What kind of skill is that? The fly isn't even dead." "Dead," replied Cohen in contempt. "Dead is easy.  Now circumcision, that takes real skill."