| The government press in
Addis Ababa is reporting that hippos in the southern province of Kaffa
have started attacking and eating livestock. Already eight cows had been
lost. The behavior of hippos eating meat, while not undocumented, is extremely
rare. However, the repeated predation of other animals by hippos would
be a completely new phenomenon to hippo researchers. |
|
Local animal health and wildlife protection
expert Alemayehu Alemu said the unusual behavior may have been provoked
by humans. Alemu said that pregnant hippos tended to react aggressively
to acts of provocation around delivery time, but cautioned that the "bizarre
phenomenon" required a thorough study for a "scientific explanation".
Note: The IUCN Hippo Specialists Group gathered this story from a
legitimate news source, but, as the behaviors described are unprecedented
in the scientific literature, cannot attest to its accuracy.
Source: News 24 of South
Africa (online), November 22, 2002
30/11/02 |
