Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is considered the world's deadliest large land mammal. These semi-aquatic giants kill an estimated 500 people per year in Africa, according to the BBC.
Despite their size, hippos can out-run a human and can reach speeds of 30 miles per hour. Hippos have developed some well known rituals to show aggression – the large ‘yawn’ is one of their most aggressive forms and shows confrontation in the water. Basically, being unpredictable, anything that gets in their way will be bitten or trampled.
Ref:
animalcorner.co.uk/animals/common-hippopotamus/. Photographed in Zimbabwe.
