Hippopotamuses are considered the most dangerous animals in Africa, and for good reason too – they can be exceptionally aggressive and are very territorial, especially if they have calves nearby.
A compilation video shared by Latest Sightings – Kruger shows just how dangerous hippos can be. In the video, you can see them taking on crocodiles, rushing at lions and even fearlessly charging some vehicles within the national park.
Hippos can consume up to 130kgs of grass daily and are capable of inflicting serious harm on other animals or humans in their territory.
Interesting facts about hippos:
- Hippos are known to be territorial especially in water: They give birth, mate and sleep in the water making it their space. So when others encroach on their space, this aggravates them.
- They cannot swim: Shocking but true. They spend most of their lives in water but are unable to swim. They walk on the water bed, which makes it looks like they are swimming.
- They don’t breathe under the water: When they submerge themselves they surface again after 3-5 minutes to take another breath. Strangely enough, they subconsciously do this in their sleep as well.
- Hippos have very sensitive skin: This is why they spend most of their time in the water keeping it moist. If you ever see blood dripping off their skin, it’s actually a built-in sunblock which is red in colour. The substance provides an extra layer of protection from the sun and acts like a moisturiser.
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