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I'm really interested in this - have been since Mrs P and i first saw a hippo doing this years ago.

Interesting about the fish picking at lesions. Someone I once asked guessed that maybe they had parasites on their bellies and were trying to somehow lose them by sunbaking!

Din't know, but I'd love to find out. I have a big fat belly and like to back float occasionally to get some sun on it - perhaps Hippos are the same?

Whenever I see (do boat cruises in a reserve almost daily) this it is normaly early am when the pod returns to the water or late pm just before leaving, the hippos involved are usualy young (not babies or the old bull in other words)and it seems to be a bit of playfulness to me.

Simple - it thinks it's a crocodile

Allan

Perhaps the song?

FIVE HIPPOS IN THE BED
5 hippos in the bed and the little one said, “Roll over, roll over.” So they all rolled over and one fell out. ...
4 hippos in the bed ...

I have no idea, but great pics. They actually look cuddle-able and those feet, cuuuute!

Perhaps They do it ...Just because they can

Those are the most amazing photos! I would love to see it happen!
The things animals get up to never fail to surprise

bump...

Great Video Nico

A couple of photos, not taken in Kruger, taken of hippo.

This fellow actually poked the croc for a few minutes.


Hippo nursery.

Rumuruti

Hi Guys,
Many thanks for all your replies re. the barrel rolling hippos. It's nice to know there are still some mysteries out there in the animal world.
bondm UK

Nice pics, RUMURUTI!

Interesting how hippos and crocodiles coexist quite peacefully normally, but don't be fooled!

In the 70's/80's hippo were undergoing an annual helicopter census in the Olifants River in Kruger.

As the helicopter moves along the river, both species understandably dash for the water at some stage!

A spotter in one of the choppers saw a huge croc take advantage of the chaos and nab a small hippo calf as both were heading for safety!

Thanks Richprins,
I've seen hippos and crocodiles, maybe 80-100 total, share a small mud lake during a harsh dry season and crocs where actually lying on top of the hippos. An extremely tense atmosphere but proof that in certain occasions coexistence actually reaches high levels.
It rained about a week later and the two species returned to their normal behaviour and some nasty fights broke out.

Lobe hippos and have passed some wonderful evenings on riverbanks watching and listening to them.

Just a quick bump for this thread, taken today...

A dentist's dream, though... those back teeth...