Hippos are animals that look like they have sympathy because of the videos of them leaked on Youtube about saving other animals. Yes, hippos are one of the animals that save other animals. However, they are not as good or compassionate as you think.
Some people love hippos, and they want to domesticate a hippo, without thinking that this idea might be dangerous. Yes, hippopotamuses are very cute and adorable animals, but behind that fluffy and cute face, there is a hidden dangerous personality. Now, can hippos be domesticated? Let me give you a concise answer.
Can hippos be domesticated? No! They cannot be domesticated for so many reasons. Hippos are inevitably dangerous land mammals that cause lots of death in Africa than any other animal. They are very aggressive and unpredictable animals, which makes them hard to be domesticated.
There is much more you need to learn about the domestication of the hippopotamus. I will answer different questions that are related to our topic. Now if you are ready, let us go and move on to our first question!
Is It Possible To Domesticate A Hippopotamus?
There are many wild animals that people tried to domesticate. Some of the domestications become successful, and some go wrong. The hippopotamus is included, and many people have already tried to raise a hippo from birth until they grow up.
If many people already tried to domesticate a hippopotamus, then it is possible to domesticate a hippo? Let me give you an honest and factual answer.
Is it possible to domesticate a hippopotamus? Nope. It is not possible to domesticate a hippopotamus. They can be tamed, but for a short period only. Hippos can be easily tamed when they are young, but when they grow up, they become more unpredictable, and it could be dangerous. Domesticating them is a silly and dangerous idea.
Hippopotamuses are very dangerous in the wild. They cause more deaths in Africa than any other wild animal. It will be a bad idea to try to domesticate a hippo because of the danger it may bring to humans. Even the wild and large crocodiles don’t have enough strength and courage to tame a hippo, so how are we, humans?
There are no greater good humans will get if they try to domesticate a hippo because they aren’t tasty to be eaten, even though some people think they are delicious. Hippos are hard to take care of, and they have no value to give to humans.
Yes, hippos are strong enough to pull a plow, but we have better alternatives that are not dangerous such as cows and bulls. Also, there are only fewer people who have farms that will be needing a hippo for pulling heavy things. So, why do we need to try to domesticate a hippopotamus?
Can You Tame A Hippo By Raising It From Birth?
Many people have already tried to domesticate a hippopotamus. They try to domesticate a hippo by treating it as a pet. However, every attempt they have made turned into chaos, causing many deaths in Africa. But, what if they tame a hippo while the hippo is still young? Is it possible for a hippo to grow up less aggressive and more tamed when raised from birth?
Can you tame a hippo by raising it from birth? No! A wild animal is a wild animal, no matter how it’s raised. Wild animals, like hippos, are instinctive, and even though you treat them like a pet dog or pet cat, their instincts will never change. Even though you tame a hippo from birth, there is still a high chance that they will attack you when they grow up.
Getting a baby hippo from their mothers will not only harm you in the future but also the baby hippo that you abduct. It is a bad idea to get a hippo from their mothers. Like I have said, many people have already tried to do this, some succeed, but most of the cases turned out to failures.
Can You Keep A Hippo As A Pet?
Like I have said above, many people have already tried to domesticate a hippo. They also already tried to tame a hippo by raising the hippo from birth, and most of them have failed. Even though some have succeeded, I still don’t think it is a good idea to attempt to tame a hippopotamus.
Hippos are wild animals, not a pet. They look cuddly and soft and make you want them to keep as a pet. However, hippos are still wild animals, and it is hard to take care of them. Hippos need lots of space to move, lots of water and mud for cooling, and other supplies that most normal citizens can’t afford.
It requires enormous money to take care of a hippo properly and to maintain their health. However, even though you have enough money to take care of a hippo, in the long run, it doesn’t mean that they will be less dangerous and not attack you.
Remember, hippos are wild animals, and wild animals are instinctual. Yes, they are capable of feeling emotions and might show some compassion, but they will always choose to follow their instincts rather than their feelings.
Hippos are dangerous and lethal animals that cause human fatalities in Africa. Keeping a pet hippo is like shooting your feet with a gun. Hippos are not gullible like dogs and cats. They are wild and territorial animals, and they have no boss.
Even the lions and large crocodiles have no match for them, so how are we, humans? Lions are scared of hippos because they are big animals that can choke them into death. Crocodiles are afraid of hippos as well because they know the ability of a hippo.
If you want to see an alive hippo, maybe you should go to the zoo rather than taking care of one all by yourself. Another alternative is you get a biology degree and work as a zookeeper if you want to take care of a hippo.
Can Hippos Be Domesticated As A Food Source?
Any animal can domesticate as a food source for humans. However, not all animals have delicious tastes. Also, it takes time to domesticate an animal, especially if it is a wild animal. It can take months and years. One of the animals that people want to domesticate as a food source is hippos.
Can hippos be domesticated as a food source? Possibly. However, if you are going to domesticate a hippo as a food source, you need to have lots of space for their shelter. Also, I won’t suggest people who have farms domesticate a hippo as a food source because of the decrease of their population.
A hippopotamus can be domesticated as a food source, but they should never be treated as a pet because they are still dangerous. They should be in captivity where space and food are abundant, and away from humans to prevent any accidents.
However, even though it is possible, I still don’t promote it. Why? Because the population of hippos is decreasing, and domesticating them for food is not a good idea to preserve their population. Also, the meat of the hippos is not as tasty as you think, and we have many alternatives like pigs and cattle, so why should we bother?
Domestication, by itself, is not also a good idea to preserve their species because it can give the hippo a depression or become stressed if exposed to humans. Maybe the right idea to preserve their species is to let them live in the wild and help prevent their ecosystem from being destroyed or damaged.
Are Hippos In Captivity Dangerous?
Hippos are dangerous animals even though they look cuddly sometimes. They are instinctual, territorial, and aggressive animals. They cannot be pets and domesticated because of the danger they might bring.
Even the hippos in captivity can be dangerous. Hippopotamuses are dangerous and aggressive animals that kill more people than any other wild animals in Africa. Even though you put hippos in captivity, their instincts are still inside them, and whatever manipulation you do to them, they will act wild because they are wild animals.
Now, how do zoos or people in captivity handle hippos if they are so aggressive? The animals in captivity are still aggressive but lesser because they are used to interacting with humans already. Zookeepers can handle a hippo even though hippos are aggressive because they know and are already used to handling an aggressive hippo.
However, even though animals in captivity are less aggressive, people handling them should still be careful and act cautiously because what they are handling are still wild animals. Being careless is a negative idea when handling a wild hippo or other animals in captivity.
How Dangerous Is A Hippo?
Hippos are very dangerous animals. They are social animals that love to live in groups. However, they are not social with other animals, including humans. Hippos are territorial and aggressive animals, and that is the reason why they are dangerous.
Hippopotamuses are the world’s deadliest large land mammal. They slaughtered 500 people per year in Africa. Hippos have large and strong bodies, and they also have sharp teeth. They weigh up to 2,750kg, and they can effortlessly crush a human to death.
Last 2011, a pet hippo named Humphrey, killed his owner. He was raised by Marius Els from the age of five months. Humphrey caused lots of trouble and was blamed for the deaths of some calves. See? Even though you raise a hippo from birth, it doesn’t mean that they become harmless. They are still wild animals that need different treatment.
Why Crocodiles Don’t Attack Hippos?
Like I have said above, many other wild animals are afraid of hippos because hippos are territorial and aggressive animals. Lions, crocodiles, tigers, and other wild animals are afraid of hippos.
The best opponent of hippos is the crocodiles. Both of them live in swamps, rivers, and lakes, which means crocodiles and hippos always meet and fight for territory. However, crocodiles are afraid of hippopotamus, and they have no plans to attack hippos because they know how dangerous hippos are.
Conclusion
To conclude this article, hippopotamuses cannot be domesticated because they are wild animals that can bring danger to humans and other pets. We should not keep them in captivity to protect their species. Instead, we should let them live in the wild freely, and help prevent their habitats from being destroyed. Let’s make this world safe for hippos and other animals.
