Stray hippo back in Kruger National Park after a stroll around Mbombela

A young male hippo spotted taking a stroll on a main road in Mbombela has been darted and taken back to the Kruger National Park.

Private ambulance service Emer-G-Med posted pictures of the animal on social media.

It said the hippo was seen on the R40, where it spent some time grazing on the side of the road.

The hippo was darted and taken back to safety.

According to local media, the rescue operation took three hours. The Lowvelder reported that the road was blocked to stop cars from hitting the hippo, while the tranquillisers took effect.