At first glance, this image might make you think you’re witnessing two aliens hiding underwater, their round, smooth shapes and eerie, almost featureless forms blending seamlessly into the water’s surface.
The strange bulges and textured skin seem otherworldly, almost like extraterrestrial beings peeking out from below, trying not to be seen. But when you look more closely, you realize the truth—it’s actually a hippopotamus resting with its head and body partially submerged, its wrinkled, mottled skin catching the light in a way that plays tricks on your mind.
Its huge mouth is agape, revealing its distinct teeth, and its nostrils and eyes, though camouflaged by the water and shadows, give it away as one of the river’s most iconic animals. The illusion of aliens slowly fades as the familiar bulk of the hippo emerges from the depths, reminding you that sometimes nature itself can look as strange as any imagined world.