Hippos are the most dangerous animal for man to run across in Africa. Nearly all of the famous African explorers and hunters considered the hippo to be a wantonly malicious beast. Spencer Tyron, a hunter, was killed while hunting when a bull hippo turned over the dugout canoe from which Tyron was in and bit off his head and shoulders.
The hippo’s yawn is not a sign of sleepiness or boredom but is actually a threat gesture, displaying long, thick, razor-sharp canine teeth, or tusks, with which it is capable of biting a small boat in half. Being fearlessly protective of their turf and young, hippos have killed hundreds of people in Africa – more than any other wild animal.
But when you watch the video below you will be amazed at what you see. The hippo in the video was rescued as a baby by a couple living in South Africa. Although she is free to leave at any time, she chooses to spend her time with the couple and also with the wild hippos. It is an amazing story to see the relationship between an animal that would normally be a danger to humans, but in this case she is a true friend. Love it seems really can conquer all.
Facts about the Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius means “river horse.” The hippo, weighing 1 800 kg (4,000 pounds) and more, lives in Africa, south of the Sahara and along the length of the Nile river, although its range once included Asia and large parts of Europe. Hippos prefer rivers with deep water and nearby reed beds and grasslands, but are also found in salt-water areas near river mouths, and in lakes in Central Africa. They are hoofed vegetarians, feeding on grass, fallen fruit, and occasionally on cultivated crops such as sugar cane or corn during the night. They spend most of the day in the water.
Hippopotamuses are among the largest living mammals; only elephants and some rhinoceroses and whales are heavier. They can live in the water or on land. Their specific gravity allows them to sink and walk or run along the bottom of a river. Hippos are considered megafauna, but unlike all other African megafauna, hippos have adapted for a semi-aquatic life in freshwater lakes and rivers.
Because of their enormous size, hippopotamuses are difficult to weigh in the wild. Most estimates of the weight come from culling operations that were carried out in the 1960s. The average weights for adult males ranged between 1,500–1,800 kg (3,300–4,000 lb). Females are smaller than their male counterparts, with average weights measuring between 1,300–1,500 kg (2,900–3,300 lb). Older males can get much larger, reaching at least 3,200 kg (7,100 lb) and occasionally weighing 4,500 kg (9,900 lb). Male hippos appear to continue growing throughout their lives; females reach a maximum weight at around age 25.
Recent DNA evidence suggests that the hippopotamus is more closely related to cetaceans (whales and dolphins) than it is to any other artiodactyl (even-toed hoofed mammal). (source ~ Wikipedia)
The hippo’s yawn is not a sign of sleepiness or boredom but is actually a threat gesture, displaying long, thick, razor-sharp canine teeth, or tusks, with which it is capable of biting a small boat in half. Being fearlessly protective of their turf and young, hippos have killed hundreds of people in Africa – more than any other wild animal.
But when you watch the video below you will be amazed at what you see. The hippo in the video was rescued as a baby by a couple living in South Africa. Although she is free to leave at any time, she chooses to spend her time with the couple and also with the wild hippos. It is an amazing story to see the relationship between an animal that would normally be a danger to humans, but in this case she is a true friend. Love it seems really can conquer all.
Facts about the Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius means “river horse.” The hippo, weighing 1 800 kg (4,000 pounds) and more, lives in Africa, south of the Sahara and along the length of the Nile river, although its range once included Asia and large parts of Europe. Hippos prefer rivers with deep water and nearby reed beds and grasslands, but are also found in salt-water areas near river mouths, and in lakes in Central Africa. They are hoofed vegetarians, feeding on grass, fallen fruit, and occasionally on cultivated crops such as sugar cane or corn during the night. They spend most of the day in the water.
Hippopotamuses are among the largest living mammals; only elephants and some rhinoceroses and whales are heavier. They can live in the water or on land. Their specific gravity allows them to sink and walk or run along the bottom of a river. Hippos are considered megafauna, but unlike all other African megafauna, hippos have adapted for a semi-aquatic life in freshwater lakes and rivers.
Because of their enormous size, hippopotamuses are difficult to weigh in the wild. Most estimates of the weight come from culling operations that were carried out in the 1960s. The average weights for adult males ranged between 1,500–1,800 kg (3,300–4,000 lb). Females are smaller than their male counterparts, with average weights measuring between 1,300–1,500 kg (2,900–3,300 lb). Older males can get much larger, reaching at least 3,200 kg (7,100 lb) and occasionally weighing 4,500 kg (9,900 lb). Male hippos appear to continue growing throughout their lives; females reach a maximum weight at around age 25.
Recent DNA evidence suggests that the hippopotamus is more closely related to cetaceans (whales and dolphins) than it is to any other artiodactyl (even-toed hoofed mammal). (source ~ Wikipedia)
VIDEO Jessica the Hippo
Jessica the Hippo has made herself a member of this South African family. And they have pretty much adopted her as their own!
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