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HIPPOS: SOME COOL FACTS
It seems unfair that the list of Africa’s “Big Five” animals does not include the Hippopotamus. Not only is the hippo the third largest land mammal after the elephant and rhino; it is also considered to be the most dangerous.
Here are some things you might not know about hippos:-
1. Given the right conditions, a hippo can live up to 40 years.
2. When hippos bask in the sun, they secrete a red, oily substance. This has given rise to the myth that they ‘sweat blood’. The liquid is a natural sunblock and moisturizer.
3. Although hippos appear to submerge for inordinately long periods of time, they need to surface every 3-5 minutes to breathe. This is a natural reflex and can be done even when the animal is sleeping.
4. Hippos can neither swim nor float. They give that impression while they are in the water. In fact they walk along the bottom surface.
5. They spend most of their time in water although they move onto land in the cooler parts of the day and night in order to forage for vegetation. They are known to walk some 10km inland to find food, and to consume up to 70kg in a night.
6. They defecate mainly in water (promoting the growth of fish food), as well as on land. The most obvious sign of a hippo’s presence is the accumulation of broken-up dung clinging to bushes. Dominant bulls engage in dung-showering - they reverse into a bush and flick their short fat tails backwards and forwards, spreading their dung and their scent.
7. Hippos are social animals, occurring in groups of between 5 and 30 individuals, consisting of cows, calves and bulls. The group is led by one dominant territorial bull who strictly controls his mating territory. Younger or other males are tolerated only if they are submissive and leave the females alone.
8. Hippos are not only territorial in water. They can be extremely aggressive towards humans when on land, causing many deaths, especially among communities living near water. This has given them the reputation of being the most dangerous animal in Africa.
9. Despite their bulk, hippos can attain speeds of up to 30 km per hour over short distances.
10. Much like the Rock Hyrax being the closest living relative to the elephant, the hippo is closely related to whales and porpoises, even though their evolutionary paths diverged about 55 million years ago.
11. Both reproduction and birth take place in water, and it is here that the huge bulls become fiercely territorial. Adult males have been known to injure or kill both females and youngsters when competing for space.
12. Hippos are often seen rearing up out of the water, mouth agape. This is not a yawn but a display of dominance or a sign of aggression.
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