Hippopotamus chasing man
Posted by Dusan on
August 27, 2009
The hippopotamus is semi-aquatic, inhabiting rivers and lakes where territorial bulls preside over a stretch of river and groups of 5 to 30 females and young. During the day they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and childbirth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grass. While hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land.
Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, their closest living relatives are cetaceans (whales, porpoises, etc.). The common ancestor of whales and hippos split from other even-toed ungulates around . The earliest known hippopotamus fossils, belonging to the genus Kenyapotamus in Africa, date to around .
One Response to “Hippopotamus chasing man”
In Africa the animal which kills the most people annually is the Hippo.
Hippos may look docile and slow but can run at over 40 kph, ie faster than a human Olympic sprinter. The natural refuge of the Hippo is water, and it only leaves the water to feed. If anybody comes between the Hippo and the water, it feels threatened and will chase down and kill the intruder.
This photo series may appear funny, but the guy would have been lucky to get away.
By Ken on Nov 2, 2009