This is the first such kind of incident where a hippo strayed out of the Lake Edward and attacked a young kid,” the Uganda Police Force told in a statement A 2-year-old boy in Uganda survived a hippo attack later almost being swallowed him.

On the afternoon of Dec. 4, the boy, identified by authorities as Iga Paul, was playing just near his house when a hippo grabbed him and “swallowed half of his body” before spitting him out, a spokesperson for the Uganda Police Force told in a statement.

Fortunately, a witness was available to throw stones at the animal to get it to relinquish the hold it had on the kid. It took the bravery of a one Chrispas Bagonza, who was nearby, to save the suspect later he stoned the hippo and scared it, causing it to release the suspect from its mouth,” police told.

Afterwards, the boy was rushed to a nearby clinic for injuries on the hand and was after transferred to Bwera Hospital for further treatment. Police say he’s made a full recovery and was released after receiving a vaccine for rabies.

“This is the first such type of incident where a hippo strayed out of the Lake Edward and attacked a young kid,” the police spokesperson said. As per the authorities the boy lives about 800 meters away from the lake, where the Wildlife Conservation Society estimates about 6,000 hippopotamus still roam.

Hippos are the 3rd largest living mammal, later elephants and white rhinos, according to the African Wildlife Foundation. Weighing between 1.4 to 5 tons, they have powerful jaws that are capable of opening up to 150 degrees — and enormous incisors.

Hardly, they leave their water pool at night to graze for 4 to 5 hours, and can cover up to 5 miles of territory in one night, eating about 88 pounds of food during this time, per the foundation.