There are many creatures living in nature, and there are many creatures in our eyesObvious strength and weakness, because of the "food chain" constraints"Big fish eat small fish, small fish eat dried shrimp".It became a matter of course.
The marine food chain.
While we sigh at the wonder of nature, we can't forget that this is a natural evolution over billions of yearsOrganisms that are unable to adapt to their environment will eventually be eliminated by nature
Therefore, our series of research on living things is actually an in-depth understanding of the environment, and we can also have more knowledge of ourselves. Humans were only one link in the food chain, but we ended up with our own physiological advantagesClimbed to the top of the food chain, and establishedown civilization, became the history of the earth"Unique".exists.
In addition to humans, we also have a certain understanding of the habits of other creatures, for example, in the eyes of most people, carnivores are stronger than herbivores, among which lions, tigers and other large carnivores are also called"King of Beasts".
However, part of this title is the imagination of human beings according to their own civilization, because there is no clear relationship between different species to rule and be ruled as in human society, and every animal needs to be in natureKeep working hard to surviveEven the most powerful carnivores are threatened with death if they don't make an effort to hunt them。So,HerbivoresIt can only be non-stop for a lifetimeHide from predatorsIs it?
Wildebeest migration. In nature, there are many carnivores that need to be hunted in groups, such as wolves, hyenas, lions, etc. In general, these carnivores haveSpecialized hunting techniques, while increasing the success rate of hunting, it can also protect yourself from harm. Yes, you read that right, carnivores actually need it tooProtect yourself from prey, whileThere are many species of herbivores that are so "vigorous".
For example, there are more than ordinary wildebeest horses on the savannahHuge size, andThe habit of group action and sharp double horns, even if the lion is hit by the wildebeest.
Herd of wildebeests. Therefore, carnivores in general willChoose the "old, weak, sick and disabled" in the predator herd
So do the pups of herbivoresVulnerable groups, but alsoThe most "dangerous" prey, because animals will have the instinct to protect their cubs in order to reproduce in groups, and if they attack their cubs, it is likely that adult herbivores will be killedBurst out with unprecedented forceis more dangerous than hunting adult herbivores directly, and even possiblyIt was "attacked by a crowd".
We know this from our daily contact with some animals that are raised by humansDo not touch or threaten the animal's young。And those herbivores that are already powerful and "violent".Once it "erupts", how terrifying is it? Today we're going to talk about one such animal-Hippopotamus
When people think of hippos, they often think of the hippopotamus's cute appearance and round body, and it is often the same when you see hippos in the zooSoak in the pool and look lazy
Such an appearance can easily give us a kind of hippopotamusVery docile, not high in combatimpressions, but actuallyThe reality is exactly the opposite of what we thinkHippos are quite scary creatures in the African savannah, even in zoosThere have been many incidents of hippos injuring keepers in zoos around the world。And those wild hippos in native Africa, willPose a greater threat to humanity
According to statistics, every year in Africa,More than 500 victims have died from attacks by wild hippos, far more than the number of people who die from attacks by large carnivores such as lions. Most of these people are tourists or local residents, and almost none of them have the intention of actively attacking hippos, but hippos are very territorial animalsIf the hippopotamus feels that human actions threaten its territory, then there is a high chance that it will attack the humans
Therefore, Kenya and other countries have also warned tourists who go to the hippopotamus habitat to playDon't approach the hippopotamus just because it looks cute, otherwise your life is likely to be in danger! But tragedies continue to happen, which is the responsibility of human beings, and it also proves that the hippopotamus is indeed very ferocious.
We know carnivores such as lions, tigers, etcIt is born with sharp teeth and claws, capable of piercing the soft flesh of most animals, but the hippopotamus has a round appearanceWhy is there such a strong fighting power?
In fact, the combat effectiveness of the hippopotamus mainly comes from two aspectsHuge size and terrifying teeth。Adult African hippos can reach a body length of 2-5 meters, while their weight can reach 1300-3200 kg, which is simply thatMobile "tanks" on land"Heavy **" in the water
Although the hippopotamus has stubby limbs and is not flexible, thisIt doesn't mean that hippos aren't fast。The seemingly bulky hippopotamus has a sprint speed of 100 meters close to that of humans, so humans provoke hippos after provoking themIt's almost impossible to get rid of a hippopotamus with speed
It is conceivable that such thousands of kilograms of "tanks" rushed straight over,Even a lion can't stand it and will be overturned。But hippos don't just have size, they doEven more terrible "sharp knives"., that isTeething in the mouth
Hippos have few but long teeth, mainly canines and incisors that protrude outward, which do not seem to be sharp, but hippos doAmazing bite force, their huge mouths can be opened almost ninety degreesThe maximum bite force reached 826 kg, which can completely tear a person in half。Therefore, the hippopotamus as a herbivore is so attacking, and it is only possible in the savannah, a species-rich ecosystemRare opponents
When it comes to the king of the African savannah, we often think of the lion, the lion'sThe ability to "fight alone" is already strong, and usually a lot of the timeHunting in groups, undoubtedlyThe nemesis of herbivores
But the lion does not have such a strong advantage in the face of the hippopotamus, partly becauseThe hippopotamus's ** is too thick and too hard, The "critical" neck that lions like to attack the most is the same, so even several lions are helpless to take the hippopotamus, and the lion is much more dangerous once attacked by the hippopotamus, if you can't avoid the impact and bite of the hippopotamus, thenBreaking a few bones is a trivial matter, and it is not impossible for the internal organs to be shattered and the entire head to be bitten
If the most feared hunter on the African land is the lion, thenThe most feared hunter in the water is the crocodile。Crocodiles have a strong bite and are able to get close to their prey in the water to ambush them, and even huge wildebeest can be dragged into the water and drowned.
But this type of hunting does not work for hippos, becauseAs long as the hippopotamus has one mouth, it can completely restrain the crocodile's big mouth, and even can tear the crocodile apart with its strong bite。Therefore, although the hippopotamus itself is a creature that needs to be constantly immersed in water, the crocodile will hardly actively provoke this "tank" in the water.
No matter what kind of carnivore it is, the only hippopotamus that can hurt it is the hippopotamus cubs. But we also said it aboveThe hippopotamus is a territorial, territorial, and protective of its young
If a carnivore attacking a hippopotamus cub is discovered, these hunters will be greeted by a relentless attack by the hippopotamus, or even moreThe attack of the entire hippopotamus herd, that can be said to be quite unbearable, if you are not careful, you will lose your life. ThereforeIf they are not cornered, the average carnivore will not attack hippos and hippo cubs
Of course, the hippopotamus is not really a species that can "run amok" on the grassland, except that it is a herbivore itself and mainly feeds on aquatic plants, and the hippopotamus is not completely without a "nemesis" on the grassland, and thisThe only animal that can ** hippopotamus is not actually a carnivore
Since hippos are able to attack with their massive size, they can only be defeated if they are larger than them. If the grassland is larger than the hippopotamus, then it can only be an elephant. African elephants are the largest creatures on land, and even hippos look like little friends in front of elephants
Therefore, even hippos, which can weigh several tons, do not dare to provoke elephants, which seem to have a gentle temper, butIt is also very irritable when the cub is threatened or is in heatIf the hippopotamus attacks or provokes the elephant, it will naturally be "punished".。According to the size of the hippopotamus, there is naturally no way to attack the elephant.
Most of the time, though, elephants and hippos are "at peace", after allThere is also not much competition for survival between the two herbivores, and they can coexist in harmony。For these behemoths, perhaps the most important thing is to think about going to ** to forage for food every day.
In fact, whether it is a huge herbivore such as hippos and elephants, or carnivores such as lions, they all have one"A natural enemy that is not a natural enemy"., that isHumans。Wild populations of elephants and hippos are already seriously threatened, that isBecause human activities have gradually reduced their habitat and directly overhunted and killed these animals
The vast majority of countries that inhabit these animals are now protecting them with strict laws, butThere is still no stopping some criminals from killing these innocent animals for economic gainTherefore, this road to animal protection can be said to be a long way to go.
Humans can become creatures at the top of the food chain, not to conquer nature, but toHarnessing the resources of nature makes our lives better。Nowadays people have been able to be self-sufficient and no longer need to go to nature to hunt animals, butIt is obviously not true that human beings continue to demand because of their own greed
Because at the moment the earth is our only homeIf we destroy our homes, we will be the ones who will suffer the pain and disaster in the end。Therefore, human beings should be more restrained and cautious in the process of development, because we are also just a living being, not a "god" on the earthThere is no right to decide whether a creature should exist or not