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| Hippo's attitude toward humans | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 29 2015, 09:52 AM (606 Views) | |
| snap | Mar 29 2015, 09:52 AM Post #1 |
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Autotrophic Organism
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Mankind are relatively young as a species but we are on a we are dangerous on a whole different level to any other vertibrate to come before us. As hunter-gatherers we explored to world and usurped the apex predator title wherever we went. Despite our lack of fangs and claws it seems most wild animals quickly learned to clear the way when they hear us coming, regardless if they object to our presence in territory they consider theirs. When it comes to unprovoked attacks on humans this is what's apparent to me, please clarify where I'm mistaken. Any animal that protects it's young will take risks it wouldn't otherwise to do so. Cats: Big cats are characteristically wary of humans. Individuals that become maneaters are normally old/sick/injured and/or lose access to their usual prey thus resort to preying on humans who haven't developed the natural defences of the game they usually go after. This is not always the case but it is not considered characteristic of cats to go after humans when they don't need to. Sharks: May misidentify humans for it's usual prey and make an exploritory bite. Upon realising their error they usually leave but the test bite can leave the human mortally wounded. Crocodilians: Crocodilians thrive on being opportunistic predators. However, most crocodilians see humans as being outside the size range of their preferred prey. The Saltwater and Nile variants, however, have a stronger tendency to see a human as something they could take. However that human needs to be in a position where the croc can ambush him/her. Otherwise they will avoid interaction like most wild animals. Bears: I am very hazy about this one and will need further clarification. I believe bears tend to avoid humans but opportunistic predatory attacks have happened. Polar bears seem to be the most likely to do this. Other herbivores: Rhino's have poor eyesight and are easily startled which may cause them to charge. They don't otherwise seem to go out of their way to attack people. Elephant's sometimes raid harvest stores and males in "muhst" are lose cannons in general. Otherwise they don't seem likely to attack humans they don't feel are doing anything threatening. Cape buffalo's are known to fight back against humans who are hunting them or otherwise posing a threat. All in all it doesn't seem normal for wild animals to attack humans without the human doing something to make them feel threatened. The exceptions are protective parents, opportunistic crocodiles and maybe bears, male elephant's on a seasonal testosterone rage and startled rhinos. Hippo's however seem to have a completely different attitude toward the more cautious animals above. A bull hippo patrolling his territory has no tolerance whatsoever for human intruders and will characteristically challenge and attack humans simply for being in a place where the he doesn't want them. Does anyone know why, unlike other most wild animals that typically avoid confrontation with people, hippo's will go out of their way to attack us? Yes they are much bigger and stronger then us but so are the animals listed above and they don't typically desire any conflict with humans which is a very good idea. Edited by snap, Mar 29 2015, 09:56 AM.
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9:47 AM Jul 11