Hippos in the Aquarium

Hippos in the Aquarium

Here is an  amazing creature! No, he (actually she) wasn’t in my immediate backyard but she was close by in the Camden Aquarium. There were two hippos swimming around in a tank where visitors could observe.

Hippopotamus is Greek for river horse. The adult visitors were entranced by how such a large animal could swim so gracefully; a female hippopotamus weighs about 2,000 - 3,000 lbs. and a male can weigh 3,000 – 4,000 lbs. on average. The kids just wanted to touch the hippos as they came up to the glass. The hippos seemed as curious about the people as we were about them. It may have been that when they see people they anticipate getting fed and that is what happened. Large plant leaves were tossed into the tank and the hippos lunged for them.

It's hard to believe that these huge creatures are somewhat delicate. Their skin burns easily so they tend to eat  in the morning hours when the sun isn’t too strong and spend a good part of the day in the cool water. They are also vegetarian. But don’t let their gentle eating habits fool you. They are not always friendly and can be aggressive.

I looked at the hippos with respect. They are like us, in a way, strong and needy, gentle and

wary at the same time. It makes me think of how all aspects of nature resonates with the whole of

nature. Like a big, if somewhat diverse family. Perhaps if we can appreciate nature’s wide

diversity, we can do the same with people.

Lots to know about hippos:

https://www.hippoworlds.com/