Hippos come second to elephants, which are the largest land animals to walk on earth.A hippo and an elephant are two animals that are built with heavy, bulky bodies that will attack to defend themselves when they come face-to-face with any form of threat or danger. For some reason, a hippo and an elephant don’t get along well with each other!Hippos and elephants are both placental mammals which means that both the hippo and the elephant have a placenta. Hippos and elephants are very sensitive around each other. Hippos often get aggressive when an elephant enters their territory. Hippos also do not have a great connection with humans because they are known to attack people quite often, especially those who go boating in lakes or rivers where hippos live. In fact, many human fatalities have been caused by a hippo!A hippo has no predators. They live independently alongside lions, hyenas, and crocodiles. They are mostly found in water, and, at times, it is possible that elephants arrive in the same place to drink some water or wash in it. In such cases, hippos get threatened because they are much smaller in size compared to an elephant’s massive body mass. As a result, a conflict or a fight breaks out between the two, and the fight that takes place can be absolutely brutal. Given the aggressive nature of both these mammals, when a fight breaks out between these two large animals, an elephant is more likely to win the fight as they have certain physical features that make them capable of winning against a hippo.For example, an elephant’s trunk and tusks jutting out from their upper jaws prove to be very advantageous during a fight, as these features make good weapons to take on a hippo. The trunk itself has over eight muscles, 1,5000 muscle bundles, and can lift a weight of up to 800 lbs (362.8 kgs). With the help of their trunk, they can also uproot huge and heavy trees. About eight years ago, a wildlife news report came out saying that a female hippo was flipped several feet into the air with just a bull elephant’s trunk! A bull elephant, out of all other elephants, is considered to be the most aggressive when agitated because, during their whole life, they go through a periodic phase called musth. However, even the bite of a hippo can be really powerful. Though they have tusks in their mouths, they are not as big and deadly as those in elephants, so a hippo will not stand a chance against an elephant!If you loved reading this article on the elephant vs the hippo, make sure to check out our other articles on the elk vs the moose and African elephant facts for kids that you’re sure to love!How are elephants and hippopotamus different?An elephant and a hippo are both mammals. An elephant is the world’s largest land animal, while a hippo seconds it. Elephants have big bodies, thick skin, large ears, a long trunk, strong tusks that act like teeth, and feet that are as thick as pillars. A hippo, on the other hand, is a semi-aquatic animal that is a herbivore and doesn’t have any predators. These animals sweat an oily substance from their bodies that is red in color, which acts as sunblock or sunscreen when they are in the heat of the sun or submerged in water.You can find a lot of differences between a hippo and an elephant. First and foremost, a hippo and an elephant have different body sizes, as an elephant is way bigger in size when compared to a hippo. Secondly, the face of a hippo consists of its eyes, ears, nose, and teeth. All together, these features make it easy for them to breathe and see when they are in the water. If you ever visit Africa, you’ll often hear local people saying that the hippo is the most dangerous animal in the country, which is true because a lot of human fatalities have occurred due to an attack from a hippo. Against an elephant, a hippo would not do well. An elephant can easily take down a hippo given its sheer size, strength, and physical features like its trunk and its teeth.Can a hippo defeat an elephant?It is possible that a hippo can defeat an elephant, but it happens only in very rare cases. Mostly, it’s always the elephants that have the upper hand when a fight breaks out between an elephant and a hippo.The elephant’s trunk proves to be very useful in lifting a hippo several feet into the air, and they use their tusks too. When a hippo defeats an elephant, it is either because an elephant might be old, weak, or injured. In other cases, they will have bitten the elephant really badly. Again, this is a very rare case as an elephant typically wins against a hippo. When a hippo comes in contact with a bull elephant, it has no chance of survival.Are elephants and hippos related?No, elephants and hippos are not related. They are both mammals and are considered to be placental animals which means that they both have placentas. A hippo comes from the Hippopotamidae family, and an elephant belongs to the Elephantidae family.Who is heavier an elephant or a hippo?Elephants are much heavier than hippos. An elephant weighs about 8818.4 lb (4000 kg), while a hippo weighs only about 3307 lb (1,500 kg). The weight of an elephant plays a big role when it comes to countering a hippo when it is under attack. A bull elephant has even more power in a fight against a hippo.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! 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Hippos come second to elephants, which are the largest land animals to walk on earth.
