Just a stranger on a bus,trying to make his way home

[marshlander]

Was the hippopotamus dangerous??? How and why did the hippo kill a man?

Hippos do have something of a reputation. I read somewhere that they are the most dangerous animal in Africa, so I found this on Wiki. Seems that stat is unproven
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippopatamus#Aggression

[Dan1089]

Recent reports suggest that 60 year old Ben Dlamini might have not been killed by the hippo.So an autopsy has been conducted and apparently the results will only be ready in 6 months (wtf?).So the slain hippo might have been innocent after all.I'm not going to lie,if an animal kills a human being (whether its wild or domestic) should be put down.Hippos are herbivores and the activists are arguing that it wouldn't have attacked again.

[Shadow]

Then I guess we'll have to wait 'n see whether the hippo is later exonerated ...

Another thing that gets me is that many people look at animals and look down their nose at them, whereas if you stop to think about it, many ANIMALS can live a lot longer than HUMANS (and considerably more in harmony with nature than we are) ... hippo's can live on average for 40-50 years for example, which is (to my mind at least) worthy of at least a modicum of respect ...

!?!?! Shadow !?!?!

[TomKat]

We've been trashing animal habitats for centuries and consequently coming into regular contact with them which usually has disastrous effects for them.

Of course now that the ice caps are melting (which could affect us) we care about the habitat of polar bears

[Shadow]

Good point (and welcome aboard btw ).

xx

!?!?! Shadow !?!?!

[Star Twister]

Is it a bit like Elephants?????

[Shadow]

How d'you mean babe ?

!?!?! Shadow !?!?!

[TomKat]

Is it a bit like Elephants?????

I assume you mean crashing and charging about all over the placemile:?

My understanding is that Hippo's despite being herbivores will deliberately attack another creature if it feels threatened.

I'm sure I read (or more likely saw on TV:biggrin something about them being very fast for their size and responsible for more human deaths than any other animal in Africa. Their skin is about 5" thick so will have a go at anything without fear.

Have you seen the size of their tusks?!

[Dan1089]

Huh?Hippos have tusks?I thought that they just had giant teeth.Elephants have tusks,rhinos have tusks but hippos?

[TomKat]

Huh?Hippos have tusks?I thought that they just had giant teeth.Elephants have tusks,rhinos have tusks but hippos?

Er yeah it was the teeth I meant:redface: but they are very "tusk-like"x