It’s World Hippo Day
So…. on an overland trip in East Africa in the 1990s, my wife and I learned that the hippo – not the lion or elephant or rhino – is categorised as the most dangerous wild animal in the continent!
Why? Those teeth and jaws are ultra powerful
Some more facts about the hippo…
“Hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) are large, round, water-loving animals that are native to Africa. The word “hippopotamus” comes from the Greek word for “water horse” or “river horse,” although hippos and horses aren’t closely related. The closest living relatives to hippos are pigs, whales and dolphins, according to the San Diego Zoo.
Hippos are aggressive and are considered very dangerous. They have large teeth and tusks that they use for fighting off threats, including humans. Sometimes, their young fall victim to adult hippos’ tempers. During a fight between two adults, a young hippo caught in the middle can be seriously hurt or even crushed.
The hippo is actually a ‘threatened species’ – When it comes to the global wildlife trade, conservationists have a long list of things to be worried about. They might need to add hippos to the top of that list.
Hippos are being pushed towards extinction by an insatiable demand for their teeth
