THE rogue hippopotamus that attacked and killed a security guard at an up-market Mpumalanga resort died of stress during a large-scale capture operation in the Sabie River on Monday afternoon. The adult bull hippo, described as a “trouble-maker” that regularly fought with other hippos, was cornered and darted by Mpumalanga Parks Board (MPB) but died of suspected stress shortly afterwards. The animal earlier killed 32-year-old Sabie River Sun security guard Mandla Msimango when it charged him and two colleagues just before dawn at 5am. Police and hotel spokesmen report that Msimango was monitoring the hippo after it broke into the hotel’s riverside golf course. “The hippo was being monitored by three security guards when it suddenly charged them. [Msimango] sustained injuries and died on the way to hospital,” said Southern Suns communications manager Lesley Briggs. Lowveld police spokesman Captain Harry Shabangu added that Msimango appeared not to have done anything to provoke the animal and was standing roughly 45 metres away from the hippo when it attacked. – African Eye News Service