Author Topic: Altruism in Hippos  (Read 2189 times)

Walt Zingmatilder

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Altruism in Hippos
« on: June 17, 2015, 07:22:07 PM »
There are at least a couple of videos on the internet showing Hippos intervening to save other mammals from drowning and crocodiles.
When interviewed the Hippos said ''It's not that we're altruistic towards Impala and Wildebeest........we just fucking hate crocodiles.......''

Gordon

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Re: Altruism in Hippos
« Reply #1 on: June 17, 2015, 07:28:38 PM »
Moderator:

This isn't science, Vlad, so I'm moving it to General Discussion.

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Altruism in Hippos
« Reply #2 on: June 17, 2015, 07:30:48 PM »
Moderator:

This isn't science, Vlad, so I'm moving it to General Discussion.
It's got animal behaviour in it hasn't it? Of course altruism in Hippos is science.

ippy

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Re: Altruism in Hippos
« Reply #3 on: June 17, 2015, 08:02:42 PM »
There are at least a couple of videos on the internet showing Hippos intervening to save other mammals from drowning and crocodiles.
When interviewed the Hippos said ''It's not that we're altruistic towards Impala and Wildebeest........we just fucking hate crocodiles.......''

Makes sense to me Woo, like it and I didn't realise the depth of thought Hippos are able to go to.

ippy

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Altruism in Hippos
« Reply #4 on: June 17, 2015, 08:06:58 PM »
There are at least a couple of videos on the internet showing Hippos intervening to save other mammals from drowning and crocodiles.
When interviewed the Hippos said ''It's not that we're altruistic towards Impala and Wildebeest........we just fucking hate crocodiles.......''

Makes sense to me Woo, like it and I didn't realise the depth of thought Hippos are able to go to.

ippy
It's really quite touching to watch.

SqueakyVoice

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Re: Altruism in Hippos
« Reply #5 on: June 17, 2015, 08:57:08 PM »
Hippos also kill more humans than any other animal in Africa (apart from the mosquito).

Seems they have a well developed sense of where the danger lies.

(And ftr, I think it got yanked off the science board a bit quick.)
"Let us think the unthinkable, let us do the undoable, let us prepare to grapple with the ineffable itself, and see if we may not eff it after all" - D Adams

Walt Zingmatilder

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Re: Altruism in Hippos
« Reply #6 on: June 17, 2015, 09:02:16 PM »
Hippos also kill more humans than any other animal in Africa (apart from the mosquito).

Seems they have a well developed sense of where the danger lies.

(And ftr, I think it got yanked off the science board a bit quick.)
Yes I'd heard of that reputation and was thus interested in a photograph from Tblisi where one seemed very compliant and amenable to the attempts of several men to guide it to safety.