Dec 14, 2008

Half Ton Hide

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?























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.


5 comments:

Robot Nine said...

Hippos are so unexpectedly dangerous, I never would have guessed. But I love Rhinos, like modern day dinosaurs. Alan

Melvin Laso said...

Those are huuuuge chompers.

Alison said...

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?

Raging Wombat said...

Flartus, is that a challenge? Hast thou thrown down the gauntlet?!

Alison said...

Er, um....uh-oh.