I’ve seen plenty of animals doing funny things, but I’ve never seen one defy gravity the way the Bible says Jesus did when he glided across the surface of water without wetting his ankles.
However, in this video – which won the Nikon Video Clip Category of the Nikon Wildlife Comedy Awards 2025 – a heron seemingly confirmed Christ’s physics-bending abilities by copying them, until the hilarious truth was bestowed upon us toward the end of the unbelievable drama.
Shot by Tatjana Epp, at the Kruger National Park in South Africa early last year, the recording starts with the heron mesmerizingly gliding across the water on the soles of its feet as if the Messiah himself were returning to the world. However, not all was as hallowed as it seemed.
"At first we spotted the heron and didn't notice that it was actually standing on the back of the hippo," Epp explained. "A perfect shelter for him, because there were so many crocodiles around. So actually a really smart move."
Epp explained how, during this hilarious "once in a lifetime scene", the heron almost lost its balance before making a miraculous recovery and enjoying the rest of the ride.
She went on to say how the hippo was jiving its head to rid itself of the sinfully surfing bird but, unlike Judas Iscariot who betrayed his master, ultimately gave up, accepting the heron’s seemingly divine powers.
Over the years the Nikon Wildlife Comedy Awards has treated us to many a sidesplitting video, including of a red fox having some Christmas fun on a back garden trampoline, which was the 2023 winner, as well as an Antarctic penguin that couldn't quite handle the cold water, which took the 2018 crown.
The 2026 edition of the competition is now open with professional and amateur photographers using any camera brand encouraged to enter. The video category is one of eight, and you can submit up to two videos, no longer than fifteen seconds each.
After viewing the 2025 winning clip, perhaps Jesus was just catching a ride from a submerged hippo after all. Hopefully St Peter won’t turn me away at the gates to heaven for all this blasphemy…
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