We’re leaving the Aquarium, but stay with the animals. Zoos are something we love to visit wherever we go. The zoo in Barcelona has the perk of having not one but two species of hippos, and I love hippos. These are the pygmy hippos, which are a solitary species, quite unlike the “normal” hippos who live in groups.
Something to keep in mind the next time somebody tries to tell you about human behaviour because of chimps or something.
Marcus Ranum says
Hippo butt!
Ice Swimmer says
Their heads look relatively small.
As for the behaviour of related species, chimps are promiscuous, bonobos are ultra promiscuous, gorillas are polygynous, orangutangs are single moms, who tolerate males only for mating purposes and gibbons are monogamous. Which system should humans follow?
rq says
Ice Swimmer
The lobster model, of course.
+++
Hippos are adorable until you remember those slicing teeth. I want a story with ridable war hippos in it, fancy armour and all!
jazzlet says
rq you know there is a set of stories about hippos and their riders by Sarah Gailey?
jazzlet says
And one about battle dinosaurs come to that, though I can’t remember who that’s by as it did appeal to me.
rq says
No I did not. Thank you for the heads up!!
lumipuna says
Orangutangs were thought to be solitary and promiscuous, but actually they have more or less stable social units resembling the polygynous gorilla families. They just keep more physical distance.
Raucous Indignation says
That is the worst cat. Shiny and moist. Grrrr!
To whit:
“Rhoses are rhed
(the “h” is unvoiced);
this cat’s unwontedly
chubby and moist.”
http://worstcats.tumblr.com/