Those silly, fat, peaceful smiling pinkish beasties that lie around in the water grunting - kids love them, people smile when they see them, they're so ugly they're cute. ; Right?
Sure...here's a little nose-to-nose snuggling...awwww (link to 1024 pixel long original below each photo):
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689697/original
Then there's that Jeckyl-and-Hyde flipside that you hear about - hippos kill more people in Africa than lions, cheetahs, and crocodiles...COMBINED. ; They're not trying to eat anyone...they're just very territorial, and will attack anything messing with their turf or pond. ; Problem is, a quick attack, one simple bite, from a hippo usually spells the end for the unfortunate tresspasser. ; And here's why -
1. They may be slower on land, but they are very quick in water, and hide really well under the surface holding their breath for a long time..when they pop up to attack, you barely have time to realize it:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689700/original
2. They can open their mouth very very wide:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689698/original
3. They, and their mouth, are very very big:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689699/original
4. Inside that wide-opening and very big mouth are some really big tusks and teeth:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689701/original
5. Maybe you want a closer look at how big those tusks and teeth are:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689702/original
These two hippos were only playing - but I have been through there hundreds of times and haven't caught quite this much action at the hippo window ever before. ; They were jumping, fighting, making huge waves, flipping upside down past the window, lunging out of the water, and grunting like crazy. ; The cast member was quite excited - it was the most action HE'D seen too...and the crowds who often just take a single glance at the window before moving on to the gorillas was instead standing-room-only to see the action. ; I was lucky to have walked in just at the beginning of their antics, and so had a front-window seat for the whole thing.
Sure...here's a little nose-to-nose snuggling...awwww (link to 1024 pixel long original below each photo):
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689697/original
Then there's that Jeckyl-and-Hyde flipside that you hear about - hippos kill more people in Africa than lions, cheetahs, and crocodiles...COMBINED. ; They're not trying to eat anyone...they're just very territorial, and will attack anything messing with their turf or pond. ; Problem is, a quick attack, one simple bite, from a hippo usually spells the end for the unfortunate tresspasser. ; And here's why -
1. They may be slower on land, but they are very quick in water, and hide really well under the surface holding their breath for a long time..when they pop up to attack, you barely have time to realize it:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689700/original
2. They can open their mouth very very wide:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689698/original
3. They, and their mouth, are very very big:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689699/original
4. Inside that wide-opening and very big mouth are some really big tusks and teeth:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689701/original
5. Maybe you want a closer look at how big those tusks and teeth are:
http://www.pbase.com/zackiedawg/image/121689702/original
These two hippos were only playing - but I have been through there hundreds of times and haven't caught quite this much action at the hippo window ever before. ; They were jumping, fighting, making huge waves, flipping upside down past the window, lunging out of the water, and grunting like crazy. ; The cast member was quite excited - it was the most action HE'D seen too...and the crowds who often just take a single glance at the window before moving on to the gorillas was instead standing-room-only to see the action. ; I was lucky to have walked in just at the beginning of their antics, and so had a front-window seat for the whole thing.
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