While defecating, male hippos wag their tails from side to side to mark their territory, which is about m wide. Mating rights are carried out in this space, which can include between 7 and 10 females. When they are on land, it is something different. Hippos are calmer animals when on land, but they can become aggressive if there is a lack of food or water, and believe it or not, they are capable of amazing speeds. Although they are herbivorous animals that feed on terrestrial and aquatic plants, they are also capable of consuming meat, generally carrion, since their stomach tolerates it and is able to digest it without complications.
Instead, what generally does happen is that they end up establishing which one is the strongest. There have been cases of females killing the dominant male, but this only happens if he tries to kill her offspring, as a result of overpopulation, for example. In Africa, there have been significant cases of hippos attacking boats or people they encounter in the water. Male hippos will actively defend their territories from four-legged or two-legged intruders.
Humans simply standing or sitting on a riverbank or lakeshore can unwittingly find themselves under attack by a male hippo who considers that spot to be part of his territory. Females tend to leave their young calves in the water while they feed on shore and can become aggressive if they sense anyone coming between them and their babies.
During the night, hippos will often roam widely in search of food. While on night safari in South African National Parks we would often come across hippos over one kilometer from the pools where they spend their days. This can be a big problem for villagers walking in the dark. Anyone who gets inadvertently too close to a hippo, especially between the animal and the water, could easily trigger an attack.
Just to put this into perspective, it is estimated that mosquito borne disease kills about 1 million humans per year, snakes 50, and dogs 25, In comparison, hippos seem downright considerate, killing about people every year.
Elephants and lions each kill about humans per year, with wolves and sharks around 10 each. If you start splashing around at the surface, the hippo will easily find you and kill you! Stay under water and swim to the nearest bank and get out quickly. At first I thought he was kidding. But he was deadly serious and knew what he was talking about, having been born and raised in the nearby riverside village. The incisors can reach 40 cm 1 ft 4 in , while the canines reach up to 50 cm 1 ft 8 in.
These giant canines and incisors are not used for feeding — the primary role is in combat and defense. They feed on coarse grasses and the teeth stay sharp as they grind together. The giant tusks are like huge, sharp daggers! When you consider the immense force behind the jaws we can see that these are formidable weapons.
Need I say more…? Considering they are vegetarian, what are those impressive inch canines used for? The tusks are used for defense and in combat between males competing for dominance and access to females.
Whenever I photograph hippos I try to get impressive shots showing that wide gaping maw with the giant tusks. It sets off the look of the beast and provides an epic image. It looks like the beast is repeatedly yawning and looking quite content. Eksteen has had extensive experience researching hippos for nearly three decades. Works for me!
Both these strong sets of teeth are used for fighting and have no role in their eating. An adult hippo can weigh up to kilograms 4 tons. On average, an adult male hippo weighs between - kilograms. A female hippo weighs between - kilograms. A male hippo keeps growing in size and weight, unlike the female which whose size doesn't change after a certain age. This is why a grown bull hippo can weigh upwards of kilograms. Hippos are not related to pigs despite the physical resemblance.
Their closest living relatives are actually the cetaceans such as whales and dolphins. It is believed that they diverged evolutionally speaking about 55 million years ago.
Big as it is, a hippo can run at a speed of 30 kilometres per hour on land. It can move at about 8 kilometres per hour in water. This adds to the dangerous factor because it can very easily surprise and attack an encroaching human or predator.
A group of hippos is called a dale, herd, pod or bloat. The most common way to refer to a group of hippos is by calling it a herd.
The other terms might be a bit too technical for everyday conversation. In drier areas where the water source is small, groups of up to might be seen together. Such large groups usually have many power struggles and fights might be witnessed as the dominant bulls assert their power.
The bite force of a hippo is 2, pounds per square inch. In Comparison, a lion or a tiger has a bite force of pounds per square inch. This is why very few animals will dare to disturb a hippo's territory, because a hippo will tear up most animals in a single bite. For farther comparison, an adult human has a bite force of pounds per square inch. Hippopotamuses by defecation. They do this by spinning their tails to distribute their poop as far as possible. Hippos are only territorial in water, and a dominant bull controls a stretch of around meters - with about 10 females.
Staying in water helps hippopotamuses stay cool from the strong African sun. A hippo's skin is hairless, which means the sun and bugs are a serious problem to deal with.
Hippos sleep in the water by fully submerging their bodies. They automatically rise up to the surface and breathe without waking up. Otherwise, they would have had to wake up ever 5 minutes to breath, and then go back to sleep for another 5 minutes. Hippos are herbivores that will graze on grass. Their main diet is short grass and some very few fruits species.
Their digestive systems resemble those of other herbivores - with a few their own adaptions. Read our updated article about what hippos eat for more insight into the food and eating habits of hippos. Hippos do not eat meat. The stomach structures of herbivores such as hippos and elephants cannot digest meat. Hippos do not eat any sort of fish or insects either. No matter the size, the school is usually led by a dominant male.
Hippos are very loud animals. Their snorts, grumbles and wheezes have been measured at decibels, according to the San Diego Zoo — about the same volume as you'd get when 15 feet 4. These booming creatures also use subsonic vocalizations to communicate. 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. Though hippos move easily through the water, they can't actually swim. According to the San Diego Zoo, these animals glide through the water by pushing themselves off other objects. And they can stay under water for up to 5 minutes without coming up for air, according to National Geographic.
Hippos have a healthy and mostly herbivorous appetite. Adults eat about 80 lbs.
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