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South African Farmer Mauled To Death By Pet Hippo
radaronline.com ^ | Nov.14, 2011

Posted on 11/15/2011 1:15:32 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY

Despite repeated warnings that Africa's most dangerous animal could not be tamed, a South African farmer's refusal to give up his beloved pet has ended with tragic results, RadarOnline.com has learned.

Marius Els was found lying dead in the river running through his property after his pet hippo, Humphrey, mauled him in a brutal attack, reported the Guardian.

The 40-year-old had raised the mammoth animal since he was five months old and even used to sit on his exotic pet's back as they sloshed through the water.

"I call him and he immediately responds to come and play with me. I feed him apples. He opens his mouth. Big jaws, and teeth like this," said Els in a video that became a YouTube sensation earlier this year.

"It's a little bit dangerous but I can swim with him. I go in the water. He allows me to get on his back and I ride him like a horse."


(Excerpt) Read more at radaronline.com ...


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: alreadyposted; repost; searchisyourfriend
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1 posted on 11/15/2011 1:15:33 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
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To: Free ThinkerNY

repost


2 posted on 11/15/2011 1:16:32 PM PST by brivette (lol!)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

I’ve kept many wild animals, including an African lion. But a hippo is far too dangerous.


3 posted on 11/15/2011 1:17:34 PM PST by gitmo (Hatred of those who think differently is the left's unifying principle.-Ralph Peters NY Post)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Wow look at the size of that guy! No wonder the hippo had enough!


4 posted on 11/15/2011 1:19:09 PM PST by Boardwalk
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To: Free ThinkerNY
Obligatory photo of Megan McCain?

Photobucket

Rich stupid girls need love too.
5 posted on 11/15/2011 1:20:00 PM PST by cripplecreek (Stand with courage or shut up and do as you're told.)
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To: shibumi

Still have the list?


6 posted on 11/15/2011 1:22:21 PM PST by Joe 6-pack (Que me amat, amet et canem meum)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Hungry, hungry hippo.

7 posted on 11/15/2011 1:24:27 PM PST by KarlInOhio (Herman Cain: possibly the escapee most dangerous to the Democrats since Frederick Douglass.)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

This is so sad....he seemed like a good man...


8 posted on 11/15/2011 1:26:08 PM PST by Fawn (No TO PERRY!!!!!!!!! Vote for Newt)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

Was there a woman with big hair nearby? If so, then the Hippo was probably just trying to protect him.


9 posted on 11/15/2011 1:28:44 PM PST by DannyTN
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To: Free ThinkerNY

IIRC hippos kill more people in Africa each year than lions, elephants, leopards, buffalo and rhino combined.


10 posted on 11/15/2011 1:29:30 PM PST by FourPeas ("Maladjusted and wigging out is no way to go through life, son." -hg)
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To: FourPeas

Even crocodiles don’t mess with hippos. Hippos are ferocious predators.


11 posted on 11/15/2011 1:38:18 PM PST by IndyTiger
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To: IndyTiger

While I agree they are ferocious, they are not predators, they are herbivore.


12 posted on 11/15/2011 1:50:02 PM PST by MPJackal ("From my cold dead hands.")
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To: IndyTiger

Sad story about this guy who thought he had a pet

Imagine the hippo changed a bit as he aged,got aggressive

Wish someone would post that pic of the African

running for his life from just in front of the hippo


13 posted on 11/15/2011 1:54:43 PM PST by Harold Shea (RVN `70 - `71)
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To: Free ThinkerNY

I guess that the problem with hippos is that, size aside, they don’t look very dangerous.

Sort of cute, sort of comical. Silly teeth. Not like Rhinos with their horns and beady eyes, or bull elephants with their tusks...

I’ll bet that’s a big part of the reason so many people get killed.

They just don’t take the danger seriously.


14 posted on 11/15/2011 2:00:05 PM PST by Ronin (If we were serious about using the death penalty as a deterrent, we would bring back public hangings)
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To: Harold Shea

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1208479/Shocked-gamekeeper-runs-life-ton-hippo.html


15 posted on 11/15/2011 2:07:57 PM PST by txmissy
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To: MPJackal
While I agree they are ferocious, they are not predators, they are herbivore.

I was going to say the same thing. On rare occasions, hippos have been observed eating meat but I believe it was usually a scavenged carcass and not something killed by the hippo.

16 posted on 11/15/2011 2:10:37 PM PST by CommerceComet (Governor Romney, why would any conservative vote for the author of the beta version of ObamaCare?)
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To: Joe 6-pack; kanawa; LongElegantLegs; Daffynition; dervish; GSP.FAN; freedumb2003; Fichori; ...
I know this thread is a repost from yesterday. I also know some of you have already been pinged to it.

But Joe 6-pack has inquired as to the old "Hippo Attack Ping List" so maybe this can be sort of a mini-reunion. This is the best I can do from memory.

Rick has a special reward for those of you who responded to this ping.....



(Click the pic for a Ten Hour Hippo Attack From Outer Space!)

17 posted on 11/15/2011 5:59:03 PM PST by shibumi (Cover it with gas and set it on fire.)
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To: shibumi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaoqN9fICl4


18 posted on 11/15/2011 6:30:19 PM PST by Semper Mark (Pray. Vote. Buy ammo.)
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To: Markos33

What?!?!?

Punjabi Nonsense Rolls aren’t good enough for you?


19 posted on 11/15/2011 6:34:12 PM PST by shibumi (Cover it with gas and set it on fire.)
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To: shibumi

20 posted on 11/15/2011 6:37:59 PM PST by kanawa
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