A sign on a fence at Buffelsdrift Game Lodge, near Oudtshoorn, South Africa. The sign say "no swimming" due to hippos.
Hippopotamuses are aggressive animals. Hippos that attack other animals are often either territorial bulls or females protecting their calves. Hippopotamus coexist with a variety of formidable predators. Nile crocodiles, lions and spotted hyenas are known to prey on young hippos. However, due to their aggression and size, adult hippopotamus are not usually preyed upon by other animals. Cases where large lion prides or cooperating groups of Nile crocodiles have successfully preyed on adult hippopotamus have been reported; however, this predation is exceptionally rare. Crocodiles are frequent targets of hippo aggression, probably because they often inhabit the same riparian habitats; crocodiles may be either aggressively displaced or killed by hippopotamuses. Hippos are also very aggressive towards humans, whom they sometimes attack whether in boats or on land, commonly with no apparent provocation, and are widely considered to be one of the most dangerous large animals in Africa.
Size: 4576px × 3056px
Location: Buffelsdrift Game Lodge, Cango Caves Road, Oudtshoorn,South Africa
Photo credit: © Derek Gale / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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