7 Weird Hippopotamus Facts

Deadlier than lions and snakes

Did you know that the hippo is one of the deadliest African animals? Exactly, is deadlier than the lions and snakes. Although it looks plump and cute, these animals can kill you in second. It is very fast when running and aggressive.

The jaws are so powerful that they can halve even a crocodile, and often attack people in boats so that break the boat with bite. They can open their mouths almost 180 °.

They give birth and use the toilet in water

They spend half of their lives in water and half on land. Although they are relatives of whales and dolphins (you read that right!) hippopotamuses can not breathe under water or dive, therefore their nostrils are located at the top of the muzzle, and muzzle always protrude above the water.

Hippos also mate, give birth, and use the toilet in water. Also are very bad swimmers, so they are always in shallow water near the shore.

Powerful bite

Hippopotamus had a strong bite, which can even penetrate the metal of which are made smaller boats. Therefore, you are not sure even in the boat when Hippo attacks.

In a zoo is measured bite of even 2000 PSI, what is 6 times stronger than the shark, 5 times stronger than wolf bite, 3 times stronger than lion, twice stronger than Siberian and Bengal tiger and also twice stronger than polar and grizzly bear. Only saltwater and Nile crocodiles have a stronger bite (5000 PSI).

Male hippos kill and eat their young

It has been reported many cases of male hippos that kill and eat their young. Scientists have not been able to find out why this is happening. There are two theories.

The first theory is that young are killed only if think they are not their descendants, as is often the case with other animals.

Second theory is that they kill the young whom they believe are weak and sick and will probably die. In this way they “make it quicker” and get a “free meal”.

Male Hippopotamus is named bull

In the group usually live about 15 individuals, and the leader is dominant male, called a bull. Usually there is just 10 females and all the mate only with a dominant male.

Sometimes may be several other adult males but they are susceptible to dominant male and should not be mated with females.

How many humans does a hippo kill a year?

Did you know that hippos kill 2,900 people annually in Africa? Yes, and it is most dangerous animal in all of Africa. Hippos kill twelve times more than lions; lions are responsible for over 250 deaths of humans each year, and also around 20% more than snakes; snakes kill 2,500 annually in Africa.

They don’t eat people, just kill them because they think that people threaten them.

They eat their dead

Eating habits of hippo are not only eating plants, but also meat. Scientists from National Geographic are with the cameras followed the herd of hippos, and found that at night, especially when the dry periods, hippos eating carcasses of other animals. Also it was noted that instead of “mourning” dead pack member, in fact; they eat them.