When A Hippo Attacks…Get Out Of The Way As Fast As You Can

Also known as the “river horse,” this animal is responsible for killing more humans every year than any other beast in Africa. The hippopotamus, or hippo for short, is a large semi-aquatic mammal that inhabits lakes, rivers, swamps & the land surrounding them. But don’t let their roly-poly exterior fool you, they’re strong and incredibly fast.

Its name is derived from the Greek word ‘hippos’ which means ‘horse’ & ‘potamos’ meaning ‘river’. It lives in large groups of up to 30 animals where territorial bulls watch over the females & young. The hippo has unique physical features which make it one the most dangerous animals in its environment.

The eyes, ears & nostrils of hippos are placed on the roof of the skull, enabling them to remain above water while the entire body is submerged. The hinge of its jaw is placed back far enough so that it can open it’s mouth at almost 180 degrees.

A fully grown male hippo would have no problem grabbing a fully grown human being in it’s mouth and shaking him like a rag doll.

Hippos are very aggressive creatures and are very dangerous. They have large teeth and tusks that they use for fighting off others that they see as threats, including humans. If you are ever in proximity of one of the beasts and you see it charge you…get out of the way as fast as you can, because if you don’t, you’ll end-up as another statistic in a very high body count.

2,900 people are killed by these incredibly dangerous mammals annually in Africa.