In the endless struggle for survival in the wilderness of Africa, there are precious few occasions for animals to just kick back and enjoy themselves. But one clever heron seems to have found the opportunity to do just that.

Curious footage has emerged showing a wading bird stepping onto the surface of a body of water in Kruger National Park in South Africa.

There's a perfectly valid explanation: The heron had some help. Wildlife photographer Andrew Forsyth, who has snapped images of hippo-riding herons at Kruger before, said the birds' ability to find and catch fish likely benefits from the higher vantage point offered by the hippo ride. He told the Daily Mail that, in his experience seeing the phenomenon, the hippo doesn't seem to mind the bird tagging along:


"I do wonder if it felt like a good back scratch for him," he said.  (Source)