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Two young Hippo bulls (Hippopotamus amphibius) - Masuma Dam, Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe.
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We watched these boys play-fighting and were struck by the power they displayed, despite being relatively young. At times, it seemed that their 'play' went a little too far, becoming overtly aggressive. Its necessary practice however for the time when they will have to fight for dominance over other males to gain the right to mate.
* Harsh overhead sunlight caused a lot of glare off the hippos' skin and water, making this a challenging proposition photographically. If one has a choice, active hippos and elephants in water are best caught early or late in the day.
These male and female hippos had differences of opinion, but they were all snarl and growl and no bite. I just couldn't believe how big he was compared to her.
Kenya, Africa
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Hippos often assert their territory and fight with the others in the pod. The bull of the pod is the leader and usually keeps the other males in check. They are territorial in water, but not so much on land when they come up to feed.
Their ivory canines are not used for eating, they are purely for fighting. They can grow up to 30 cms long and even longer in some rare cases.