Who among us has not seen a hippo? These amphibian mammals live throughout Africa, although their territories are reduced day by day due to the gradual disappearance of their natural habitat.
The average weight of adult male hippos is about 1,500 kg and that of females 1,300 kg. These true colossi of the animal kingdom are informally known as the lawnmowers of Africa , since an adult can consume up to 40 kg of plant matter per day – although it is not a big deal when we compare it with their size … – . However, we must remember that hippos spend most of their time in the water in relative stillness and their energy consumption is not very high .
A close look at the hippopotamus’ mouths, with powerful jaw muscles and large tendons, reveals that this is not really that of an obligatory herbivore as previously thought. In fact, observations in various parts of Africa show that hippos are also facultative carnivores, meaning that they eat meat when they can get it . Typically this happens when crocodiles hunt animals in the aquatic habitat they share.
These observations are part of a review of hippo nutritional habits recently published in the Mammal Review . The authors indicate that hippos, an essential species within their ecosystem, should not be considered as obligate herbivores, but rather as facultative carnivores capable of consuming the carcasses of other animals as a natural part of their behavior . It has also been found that this fact takes place throughout the distribution of this mammal.
Relationship with anthrax
In addition, researchers associate the accelerated rate of transmission of anthrax, a deadly zoonotic disease observed among these mammals, with the habit of consuming meat from the corpses of various animals, including the hippos themselves . This fact could have important implications for a better understanding and better management of future anthrax outbreaks, not only in wild animal populations, but also in humans.
A new contribution to the biology of hippos that will have an important influence on the way we look at these mammals and on other aspects such as their relationship with other animals and man.
Reference article: Dudley, JP, Hang’Ombe, BM, Leendertz, FH, Dorward, LJ, de Castro, J., Subalusky, AL and Clauss, M. (2015), Carnivory in the common hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius: implications for the ecology and epidemiology of anthrax in African landscapes. Mammal Review. doi: 10.1111 / mam.12056.
Julio de Castro is a veterinarian and a Doctor in Parasitology. He has worked for FAO for 25 years and now lives in Zimbabwe. His observations on hippos contributed to the publication of the cited scientific article, of which he is a co-author. Write about her experiences in Africa on the blog A Bushsnob in wild Africa
