October 27, 2006: Hippo eats pumpkin
 

http://cellar.org/2006/hippopumpkin.jpg

xoB sends along this WaPo image to continue the pumpkin theme on Friday. We've had a lot of these beasts on IotD, but this one is still mind-boggling, to see "Cuddles" (her actual name), 43 years old at the San Francisco Zoo, opening that massive maw and chomping down on an entire large-size pumpkin. Imagine what damage she could do.

http://cellar.org/2006/jar-jar-binks2.jpg

I was recently reminded of the much-hated Jar Jar Binks character, and I was thinking, what sort of animal would evolve to have eyes protruding out like that? It's not a good placement, if you don't want to go blind the first time you accidentally trip. It would have to be a predatory beast that spent most of its time partly submerged, so the eyes could spot things above water while the body stayed below for cover. Jar Jar's race is supposed to have evolved under water, so perhaps some thought has been put into his design beyond childish comic relief.

This reminds me of every family dinner I ever went to.

jar jar binks
 

lol

i love/hate that character.

yeap.maybe he comes from the crocodile family.lol.

The eating style or the fine conversation about Jar Jar's heritage?

Slugs have protruding eyes and aren't submersed predatory beasts, whatever else you may say about them.

This just proves my theory, that hippos are a cross between Jar Jar Binks and Austin Powers.

So, do is not look to anyone else like that hippo is just about to choke? Anyone know the hippo Heimlich?

Both. I grew up in NJ.

I don't think the hippo will choke....that pumpkin is in the "crush zone"....and there is plenty of water to wash it down.

Slugs don't trip, either.:D

I wonder what the two lower teeth that stick straight out are for? Digging?

Don't be silly, Hippos don't eat pallets. :lol:

OK, they're supposed to be pointed. So they're for stabbing.....and keeping the line moving. ;)

I agree. I have often wondered what most the teeth in a Hippo's mouth are for. They are just so random. Like sticks stuck into a mud bank.

At night they come out of the crap soup they sit in all day and graze like cows. But what do the graze with??!

Hippos need dentists.

Impunity?:lol:

I would have been more impressed by "Pumpkin eats hippo"...