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Process Essay 2
How Hippos Attack
Lions are always seemed like the king of beasts. However, there is one animal that even lions dare not eat. That are hippos. A research has found that hippos are negative selections of lions, which means that lions usually do not choose hippos as hunting targets. They would rather choose bison, zebras, or other animals. Nevertheless, hippos are herbivorous animals. If not necessary, like some beats invades their homeland, hippos will not launch an attack. Now, let us take a look at how hippos attack in the following steps, and why they are so powerful!
Picture 1
Picture 2
Initially, hippos yawn. They seem to be relaxed and harmless while yawning; however, they are showing “a threat sign” to warn others to keep their distance. A South African conservation ecologist, Johan Eksteen, said succinctly: “The majority of people from overseas are not aware of how dangerous these animals can be.” (Johan Eksteen, as cited in Sranko G., 2021) Eksteen has had a lot of experience in researching hippos for
Picture 2: Step1-yawning
nearly thirty years. He indicated that the repeated yawning is a warning called “dominance yawns”. That is why so many photographers capture the scene of hippos showing wide gaping maw with big teeth–they are telling you who are the bosses. (as Picture 2 beside).
After their yawns, if the “enemy” ignores the yawn, hippos will attack them with their giant tusks. There are forty teeth in hippos’ maws, and the sharp fangs in the front row can reach up to 70 cm long. Their bite forces are powerful, which can get to more than 2,000
Picture 3:
Step2- attacking with their giant tusks
pounds per square inch. In comparison, the bite force of a jaguar, lion, and tiger is only about 2,000 pounds per square inch on average. What’s more, the surface area of the hippos’ teeth are very small, which means that all the pressure generated by the lower jaw is concentrated in a small groove. Even alligators would die under these terrible tusks and bite forces (as Picture 3 beside).
Ultimately, if the animal in their mouths breaks free, the hippos can still quickly catch up both on land and in water. Although they are inhabiting rivers, lakes, and ponds in the savannah area, which seemed aquatic, hippos can run at a speed of nearly 30 kilometers per hour on land (as Picture 4 beside). Their moving speed in water is also terrifying, which can reach five kilometers per hour, and hippos can hold their breath for five minutes at the longest. The most dreadful is that when the hippos attack in water, it moves so silently and fast that seemingly appears of nowhere (as Picture 5 beside). Therefore, even if the animal escapes from hippos’ mouths fortunately, it may still lose at their speed again.
Picture 4:
Step3- having great speed on land
Picture 5:
Step3- having great speed and being silent in water
To sum up, when hippos want to attack, they will warn the target with yawning at first, then uses its horrible big fangs and catches the prey with its amazing speed. Different from other carnivores, hippos take these steps for defending their homeland instead of eating other animals. Hippos attack only when they are in danger.