Hippos are vegetarian grazers. But those teeth aren't meant for grass.
Hippopotami live in loose groups of 15 or so individuals led by a bull, though the size fluctuates based on terrain, drought, etc. It's for rival bulls that those teeth are intended. Old dominant bulls bear scars and fresh wounds from hundreds of battles.
Though hippos don't have sweat glands, they do secrete a viscous red fluid that is believed to have healing properties. After all, how do hippos survive all that muddy water and swamp with gaping wounds and not have them fester?
Come on, science. Anyone interested in milking some bull hippos of their red viscous fluid?
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I've just thrown this last photo in because...well, because sometimes I have evil thoughts (I root for tha animal). Random factoid: a hippo's hide can weigh a half a ton all by itself. That's a lot o' hide.
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posted by Raging Wombat at 12:54 PM on Dec 14, 2008
5 Comments
Close this window Jump to comment formHippos are so unexpectedly dangerous, I never would have guessed. But I love Rhinos, like modern day dinosaurs. Alan
December 16, 2008
Those are huuuuge chompers.
December 16, 2008
Now, really, the hippo in that second pic looks downright adorable...aside from probably causing that poor guy's imminent demise.
Wombat, are the kids and the holidays making you take it easy on us?
December 17, 2008
Flartus, is that a challenge? Hast thou thrown down the gauntlet?!
December 17, 2008
Er, um....uh-oh.
December 17, 2008