Why Are Crocodiles Afraid Of Hippos? Truth Revealed!

Crocodiles and hippos share the same African rivers, so they meet every day. Fights between them do happen, but a crocodile attacking a healthy adult hippo is rare.

It is common in the wild for two ferocious animals to clash over territory, food or water. Hippos are territorial in the water, and crocodiles live in the same stretches of river.

Crocodiles avoid adult hippos because hippos are far bigger, very aggressive and armed with huge tusks. Adult hippos have few natural predators. Crocodiles are mainly a threat to young hippos.

4 Reasons Why Crocodiles Are Afraid Of Hippos

Hippos are not just big. They are also among the most aggressive mammals in Africa. When agitated, they can run 30 km/hr (about 14 mph) on land, according to the San Diego Zoo's hippo fact page.

Hippos Are Big And Strong

Adult female hippos average about 1,400 kg (3,000 lb). Males range from about 1,600 to 4,500 kg (3,500 to 9,920 lb), which dwarfs even a large crocodile.

Their canine tusks can grow up to 51 cm (20 inches) long. A hippo can badly injure or kill a crocodile with a bite or by crushing it.

That size gap is the main reason crocodiles keep their distance. Crocs and hippos are often seen resting near each other because the crocodiles usually leave adult hippos alone.

Hippos Are Aggressive

Hippos attack anything they see as a threat, especially in their stretch of water. Their warning signs include yawning to show their tusks, head shaking, lunging and charging.

Crocodiles are dangerous too, but they are ambush hunters. They gain nothing from fighting an angry animal that outweighs them many times over.

Hippos Are Territorial

Male hippos defend their area of river or lake. They spend the day in water to keep their skin moist and protected from the sun.

Because crocodiles use the same water, the two meet constantly. When a hippo charges, the crocodile is usually the one that backs off.

Hippos Can Fight In Water

Even though hippos are big, they can run faster than most people expect. In water, though, hippos can't actually swim or float. They are so dense that they walk or push off along the riverbed in a slow-motion gallop, and they can hold their breath for five minutes or longer.

That makes them very much at home in shallow water, where most croc and hippo encounters happen. A crocodile has no safe advantage there against an adult hippo.

Do Crocodiles Ever Attack Hippos?

Yes, but rarely an adult. Crocodiles are a major threat to young hippos, and a calf left unguarded can be taken by crocodiles or lions.

Lions, hyenas and crocodiles occasionally prey on young hippos, but apart from humans, adult hippos have no known predators, according to Animal Diversity Web. Mother hippos guard their calves closely, which is why crocodile attacks on calves often fail.

Why Don't Crocodiles Eat Hippos?

Crocodiles will eat a hippo calf or scavenge a dead hippo. They don't attempt to hunt a healthy adult because it is too dangerous.

Hippos don't eat crocodiles either. They are herbivores that graze for about six hours each night, mostly on short grass near water. A hippo that kills a crocodile does it to defend itself or its calf, not for food.

Can A Saltwater Crocodile Kill A Hippo?

Saltwater crocodiles live in Asia and Australia, not Africa, so they never meet wild hippos. The crocodile that shares rivers with hippos is the Nile crocodile.

In a hypothetical match, a healthy adult hippo would most likely win against any crocodile because of its size and tusks. A crocodile could kill a calf or a very weak hippo.

Do Hippos And Crocodiles Ever Get Along?

Most of the time they ignore each other. Crocodiles and hippos are often seen resting in the same water, and baby crocodiles have been seen sunning themselves on hippos' backs.

Videos of young hippos mouthing or chasing crocodiles exist, but these are one-off events. There is no evidence that hippos "use crocodiles as pacifiers."

Who Would Win Between A Crocodile And A Hippo?

A healthy adult hippo would win in almost every case. Hippos are much heavier, very aggressive and armed with long tusks.

A crocodile has a real chance only against a calf or a sick, old or injured hippo.

Final Thoughts

Hippos are herbivores, but they are among the most dangerous mammals in Africa. They defend their space and their calves fiercely.

Crocodiles have learned to leave adult hippos alone. The two species share rivers every day, and most of the time they simply keep their distance.

Sources

• Hippo, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance
• Hippopotamus amphibius, Animal Diversity Web, University of Michigan