Maun, Botswana - Wildlife photographers Bill and Linda Klipp of Key West, Florida, wanted to capture the perfect snapshot during a safari in Botswana. As luck would have it, a hippo offered itself as a model – with an unexpected twist.

The couple was traversing the Okavango Delta with their tour guide when they suddenly spotted a hippo in a waterhole.

The lone hippo was lying calmly in the pool, snorting, yawning, and twitching its ears.

The photographers immediately pulled out their cameras. Bill Klipp described what happened next on his YouTube channel.

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For some reason, the huge creature felt threatened and went on the attack. The couple filmed the hippo rushing out of the water, opening its mouth, and grabbing the passenger door of the SUV with its teeth.

Attempts to put the truck in reverse and escape failed. The animal had such a tight grip on the small truck that they couldn't budge.

The hippo bit into the car several times and tore a gap in it, ramming its upper canine teeth into the door frame until it began to splinter.

The animal's strength was reportedly so great that the vehicle's fender, windshield frame, and mirrors were also bent and dented.

To free them from the hippo's grip, the tour guide kept revving the engine, until the creature had had enough and retreated back into the water.

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"You always hear about how powerful a Hippo can be, but one really doesn’t have a clue until a 7,000-10,000 pound animal crashes into and attacks your car," Bill Klipp said.

Despite the nerve-wracking encounter, the pair were thrilled: "I have always told Linda when the s*** hits the fan just keep shooting. What an exhilarating event to experience and we are thankful to be around to share," Klipp recalled.

The Floridian said he and his wife can't wait to see what adventure awaits them next.