The Hippopotamus in Tanzania
The hippopotamus is the most dangerous wild animal in Africa. After the Elephants it is the heaviest land animal. They measure up to 1.70m shoulder height and the body may reach a length of up to 5m. The maximum weight can reach 5 tons. Hippos are not snuggy fatties! With their choleric temper they can get highly aggressiv. Even big crocodiles respect them: Hippos are able to bite a big croc into pieces. Due to their sensitive skin they remain mainly under water during sunlight hours. At night they come ashore for grazing. When people get in their way, they will simply be overrun. In water the hippos can turn over even bigger boats. Most of the deadly casualties with wild animals in Africa are caused by hippos. Hippos are very poor swimmers and stay only in shallow waters, walking on the ground. Oxpecker birds pick parasites out of the skin of the hippos.
Wolfgang Praegler & Gudrun Mirbach-Praegler