Most wildlife buffs and pub quiz bores will tell you that the hippopotamus is the most dangerous mammal in Africa. I would put myself in that category, not the bore bit, just the knowledge.
The lion has knocked the hippo of its perch for being the most dangerous mammal in Africa. Between 1990 and 2005 lions have been responsible for 563 deaths in Tanzania alone. However the data is a bit skewed as Tanzania has a very high population of lions and therefore maybe not be true for the rest of Africa. I would challenge this data.
Although hippos do not look that dangerous they have reportedly been responsible for a larger number of deaths in Africa. The reason for this is that during the day they spend most of the time in the safety of the water, but at night they come out to feed on grass. This is when the trouble begins. More often than not, locals will walk along riverside paths on their way back home at night. By doing this, they are putting themselves between the hippo and its safe haven, the water. The hippo feels threatened with this and charges back to the water, trampling anyone who happens to be in the way. And it is difficult to see a hippo in the dark!
From my experiences in Africa I can certainly say that the hippo is a pretty formidable animal, I have had the experience of being charged by one. I was working in Zimbabwe and I was helping a friend of mine called Karen Paolillo, who had single handedly saved a pod of hippo in the Save Valley Conservancy during the drought of 1992. She had been feeding the hippos and I was helping her at the time to put some food out for the hippo. Unfortunately, the hippos came early that day, and we were still putting food out. As 'Roberta' quickened her pace over to us we belted into the car and as we were reversing Roberta was head butting the front of the car. My eyes were the size of dinner plates, it was only my fourth day, ever, in the African bush!
And to this day, the melodious sound of a honking hippo represents Africa to me. I love it.
More hippo information...
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