Dec 19, 2008: Bertha & Baby Butt

Neatorama had a link to this Daily Mail story.

It is the ultimate in swimming lessons as Paula the baby hippo struggles to keep up with her mother Kathi.
Born at Berlin Zoo just 18 days ago, the little cub weighs 6st 4lbs and is approximately 50 inches long. Fully grown she will weigh as much as two tonnes - like her mother.

Hippos swim from the moment they are born underwater and must immediately propel themselves to the surface to take their first breath.
Contrary to belief, adult hippos cannot actually swim - but travel through the water by pushing themselves off the bottom.

Paula, on the other hand, is rather more buoyant and able to move along by kicking her back legs in a running motion. If the water becomes too deep, then she will rest on her mother's back - surfacing for air roughly every four minutes.

Artificially clean.. I note.

Fun Fact: Hippos are the most dangerous animal in Africa. /funfact

anal: except humans. and mosquitoes /anal

Awww, that's cute. Gotta love baby animals. Got a photo of the other end?

Just 2 more questions to accurately answer, and the mom hippo will finish the Trivial Pursuit games. Oh, and thanks for the inspiration - the diet starts today! :)

ZenGum;515056 wrote:

anal: except humans. and mosquitoes /anal

Consider yourself punched, nerd.

Your mom's so fat she drops like a hippo in water...
cute picture nonetheless ^_-

edit: that's not directed at anyone, just a random statement

Leokins wrote:

edit: that's not directed at anyone, just a random statement

No, it's too late. I've taken it personally.

I never thought I'd think hippo butts were cute!

Spit-roast baby hippo for Christmas Dinner?

Serve mature hippo steaks flame-grilled with a dollop of brandy butter for a seasonal flavor.

...or is that just a large poaching pan they're in?

Brianna;515045 wrote:

Fun Fact: Hippos are the most dangerous animal in Africa. /funfact

You can tell, by the evil gleam in their eyes...

Leokins;515092 wrote:

Your mom's so fat she drops like a hippo in water...
cute picture nonetheless ^_-

edit: that's not directed at anyone, just a random statement

Clodfobble;515117 wrote:

No, it's too late. I've taken it personally.

Fie on you! My pet, baby hippo was killed by a random statement that was taken personally in the WTC on 9/11.

Flint;515339 wrote:

Fie on you! My pet, baby hippo was killed by a random statement that was taken personally in the WTC on 9/11.

Damn...:headshake

ZenGum;515056 wrote:

anal: except humans. and mosquitoes /anal

Well... The mosquitoes aren't dangerous in and of themselves, it's the diseases they carry. And those are either viruses (Dengue) or protozoans (Malaria), neither of which are "animals."

It's commonly said that "hippos are the most dangerous LARGE animal in Africa." That's a more accurate statement because humans aren't "large" and there are a whole host of little flatworms that do a whole lot more harm (Schistosomiasis) than hippos.

Butt, hey, ever wonder how hippos mark their territory? :D

tulzscha;515478 wrote:

Butt, hey, ever wonder how hippos mark their territory? :D

That's kept me awake many a long night.

HungLikeJesus;515483 wrote:

That's kept me awake many a long night.

I plow directly over your sarcasm, and provide the answer:

"To mark territory, hippos spin their tails while defecating to distribute their excrement over the greatest possible area."

It is, if you've ever seen it, the proverbial shit hitting the fan. Just look at those tail muscles, and imagine it wagging back and forth at 600rpm. :yelsick:

Fun Fact: Hippos are the most dangerous animal in Africa. /funfact

They are not one of the "big 5" animals of Africa, those considered the most dangerous and difficult to hunt. They are lion, cape buffalo, leopard, elephant, and rhino.

My dad got buffalo a couple years ago but won't be hunting the rest because he likes them... same reason he won't hunt bears.

jinx;515545 wrote:

They are not one of the "big 5" animals of Africa, those considered the most dangerous and difficult to hunt. They are lion, cape buffalo, leopard, elephant, and rhino.

That just goes to show how sneaky they are... that's why they're dangerous.:haha:

Trophy hunters are dangerous to the "big 5", whether or not those animals are dangerous to the rest of humanity. Hippos are the attackers in the previous argument, however, against humans who would much rather they stay away. And the mosquitoes straddle the fence: those packin' bad buggies inside are dangerous to humans, those who don't are not. Thus spake sweetwater. :)

jinx;515545 wrote:

My dad got buffalo a couple years ago but won't be hunting the rest because he likes them... same reason he won't hunt bears.

so ... he shot the buffalo because he hated buffalo? :eyebrow:


I know, I know, his uncle was trampled by a buffalo on 9/11 ...

jinx;515545 wrote:

My dad got buffalo a couple years ago but won't be hunting the rest because he likes them... same reason he won't hunt bears.

What have I been saying all this time? Immunise, people, immunise!

monster;515322 wrote:

Spit-roast baby hippo for Christmas Dinner?

Jee-whiz, you must have a whole lot of really hot spit if you can roast a hippo with it!