Visitors flock to southern and east Africa on an annual basis to experience the safari of a lifetime. The major drawcard of any safari experience is to track – and find – the iconic big five species. Spotting wildlife on this “tick list” of Africa’s famous animals is one of the key reasons why many people go on safari. The rare moments spent observing the buffalo, rhino, lion, leopard and elephant are unforgettable, but sightings of the big five shouldn’t be the only reason you come on safari. While we’re by no means dismissing their presence, we do encourage you to expand your list of must-see animals. One of our favourites that should be at the top of the list, is the colossal – yet adorable – hippo.
Here are 3 interesting facts about our adorable and aggressive hippos.
Hippos Do Not Swim
There you are cruising through the Okavango Delta in a traditional mokoro, or hanging around the edge of a waterhole in a reserve, and you spot a bloat of hippo seemingly swimming through the water. Truth be told – they aren’t swimming. Hippos wade across the bottom until they reach shallow areas of water where they blob about on the shoreline. Their enormous size means that they’re quite buoyant and float with ease. They are also incredibly adept at controlling their breathing and body position. It doesn’t matter about the depths, hippos have the ability to sink to the bottom of lakes and waterholes. They often utilise well-worn “paths” within their territory.
At night hippos emerge from the waters to forage and feed on herbivorous delights. They might have a heavyset frame and a body that’s disproportionate, but they can still move at quite a speed!
They are Aggressive and Territorial
Hippos kill more people in Africa than any other animal and often it’s because they trample everything in their path when stomping their way back to the water. They’re excessively territorial and certainly don’t shy away from confrontation – a protective streak that is only really exercised in their watery turf. On land, groups will forage wherever there is an abundance of vegetation.
They are guardians of their watery domains and will happily fight to keep their territory. Ruthless crocodiles and other predators keep their distance from these dangerous herbivores.
Seeing a display of hippo dominance in action is terrifying yet exquisite at the same time. To assert their dominance and ward off others, a hippo will open its massive jaw to display its tusk-like canines and knife-like incisors in an effort to scare off would be intruders.
The honking and grunting sounds you hear while they’re in the water is how they mark their territory.
Pods Have One Dominant Male
Hippo pods tend to have one dominant male that mates with his personal harem of females. The dominant hippo has earned his place at the top of the chain through combat and much warfare. He is the warrior and has certainly earned his position as lord of the females!
Hippos live in pods or groups ranging from – on average – 30 individuals to bloats numbering up to 200. Pods comprise females, their young and a single dominant bull. This bull goes to the ends of the earth to protect his females and territory against other male hippos.
The hippo is not to be underestimated!
