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Caught On Camera: Hippos Kill Crocodile In Rare Clash
London Times ^ | November 16th, 2009

Posted on 11/16/2009 9:49:20 PM PST by Steelfish

November 17, 2009 Caught On Camera: Hippos Kill Crocodile In Rare Clash

[Pics in URL: 4 Images]

Faced with the angry hippos, the crocodile decides to run across their backs

Jonathan Clayton, Africa Correspondent

Bathing hippos usually have a tolerant attitude towards their fellow creatures — until something snaps. And then, as this crocodile discovered the hard way, they are the most dangerous wild animals in Africa

Vaclav Silha, a Czech wildlife photographer, had set up his camera on the banks of the Grumeti in the Serengeti National Park, Tanzania, to take pictures of a group of 50 placid hippos when an explosive fight erupted — a thrashing scrum that ended seconds later in the crocodile’s violent death.

“Mutual respect between these animals means fights occur very rarely,” Mr Silha said. “One of the only reasons you might see a conflict is if the hippos have young. The incautious croc got too close to a female who had calves and the whole group gathered into a defensive circle.

“The crocodile suddenly raced across the backs of the hippos. It might have panicked and thought it was an escape route. It was the worst choice the reptile could ever have made. And it was definitely its last.

“The island of hippos erupted with teeth and all I could see was the crocodile being repeatedly crushed in their huge mouths. His body slipped below the water and I didn’t see him again.”

(Excerpt) Read more at timesonline.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Food; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: crocodiles; hippos
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To: Salamander; Slings and Arrows

Was that a Staffordshire Hippo, or an African Pit Hippo?


21 posted on 11/16/2009 10:42:06 PM PST by shibumi (" ..... then we will fight in the shade.")
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To: Steelfish

Is there a video link?


22 posted on 11/16/2009 10:51:52 PM PST by torchthemummy (No Obama: Not Because He's Black But Because He's Red)
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To: Drew68

23 posted on 11/16/2009 11:34:08 PM PST by Berlin_Freeper (I am planning my retirement job. Probably chef. Probably Ogden, Utah.)
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To: Drew68

Feets . . . .


24 posted on 11/17/2009 1:06:16 AM PST by Misterioso (The uncontested absurdities of today are the accepted slogans of tomorrow. -- Ayn Rand)
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To: shibumi

Hippo Mastiff.


25 posted on 11/17/2009 1:35:08 AM PST by Salamander (I'm sure I need some rest but sleepin' don't come very easy in a straight white vest.....)
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To: Steelfish

Hippos are vegetarians, and mean and territorial as all get out. That’s why I always found it amusing in the Jurassic Park movie when they portray brontosaurs as “kind of a big cow”. Big cow, indeed. If a 3 ton hippo is mean, imagine the attitude of a 30 ton dinosaur!


26 posted on 11/17/2009 3:10:15 AM PST by 6SJ7 (atlasShruggedInd: ON)
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To: 6SJ7

Rhinos and Cape buffalo are also vegetarians.

OTOH, most RINOs are carnivores.


27 posted on 11/17/2009 3:36:58 AM PST by Sherman Logan ("The price of freedom is the toleration of imperfections." Thomas Sowell)
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To: Drew68

“Feets, don’t fail me now!”


28 posted on 11/17/2009 4:05:35 AM PST by Jimmy Valentine (DemocRATS - when they speak, they lie; when they are silent, they are stealing the American Dream)
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To: Steelfish

Note to self: “when confronted by hippos in the neighborhood, never try to run across their backs.” OK, got it


29 posted on 11/17/2009 4:10:25 AM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: Drew68
I don't know how it ended.

Thats how the Kenyan runners train for marathons.....obviously only the fastest make the team and there is no junior varsity.

30 posted on 11/17/2009 4:12:53 AM PST by Hot Tabasco
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To: Steelfish

Crocs have been around for over 100 million years. Doing things like this is no way to get to 101 million.


31 posted on 11/17/2009 4:28:10 AM PST by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (a wild-eyed, exclusionist, birther religio-beast -- Daily Kos)
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To: Zhang Fei
From your link:

Wonder how fast Bolt can run when he's being chased by a hippo?

32 posted on 11/17/2009 12:32:17 PM PST by Drew68
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