AMAZING footage shows an angry hippo DROWNING an unsuspecting rhino as it defends its waterhole during a crippling drought at a game reserve in South Africa.

Ranger Stanley Robertson, who filmed the incredible encounter, was guiding tourists when he spotted the rhino walking down to the water in an attempt to quench his thirst.

5 The angry hippo howls at the unlucky rhino

5 The hippo attacks the rhino biting the its opponent's head

But with water sparse in the Klein Karoo region, the angry hippo was clearly not happy at having to share the previous water with the uninvited guest.

The rhino appeared bemused as the hippo bellowed a loud warning before leaving the waterhole and dramatically confronting the big mouthed beast.

The rhino – which is the world's second biggest land mammal – would normally be firm favourite to win a fight with a bossy hippo.

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But in this case the rhino – which had been de-horned to protect it from poachers – has lost the one deadly weapon that would have seen it fend off the jaws of the attacking hippo.

Unable to gore the hippo with its missing horn, the rhino is forced to give ground and is bulldozed backward into the water and rolled over onto its back.

The hippo then backs off but tragically the rhino is unable to right itself in the glutinous mud and thrashes helplessly in the water until it drowns.

While speaking with LatestSightings.com, ranger Robertson said: “This hippo was protecting his territory and was making sure he was not letting anyone else enter.

5 The hippo pushes the rhino onto its side

5 The hippo wrestles the rhino on its back

"Hippo’s become extremely aggressive in drought. As the hippo pushed the rhino into the water, a feeling of adrenaline took over, next was complete and utter shock mixed with disbelief.

"Never in a million years did I expect to see anything like this in my life.

"The hippo was protecting his waterhole and pulled out one massive attack on the baffled rhino. The rhino didn’t stand a chance under the hippo’s sheer force.

5 The rhino lies motionless in the water

“It was hard to watch and not intervene, but that is nature. This is a very rare, rare sighting indeed. We stayed on at the sighting and watched how the hippo landed up drowning the rhino.

"It was like watching a bulldozer move mounds of earth. Truly incredible to see the power play".

The game reserve is not being named to protect the rhinos which are breeding there.

The hippo, which is the world's third largest land mammal, is one of the most dangerous beasts in Africa killing an estimated 500 people per year.

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