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Capturing a Hippo
Hippos are responsible for more human deaths in Africa than any other animal. They kill around 100 people every year. A full-grown hippo weighs up to 3 1/2 tons. They’re herbivores that live on grass and shrubs. They have no sweat glands but produce a red viscous fluid to keep cool. This gave rise to the myth that hippos “sweat blood.” Their Latin name means “river horse” even though hippos are more closely related to whales than horses.
Hippos can’t swim. They sink in a river or lake then walk along the muddy bottom. They can “run” up to 50/km an hour. They can hold their breath for five minutes. When ready to surface, they kick off the bottom and proper themselves upwards.
Hippos rarely breed in captivity. As a result, most zoo hippos have been caught in the wild. The cost to capture and transport a hippo to a North American zoo can exceed $450,000. The process is difficult and dangerous. Young hippos are selected, but they still weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
Targeted hippos are shot in the neck with a tranquilizer dart causing temporary paralysis. (Prior to 1966, a crossbow was used to propel the dart.) The hippo must be on dry land otherwise it can drown. The capture team has 15 minutes before the drug wears off. If the drug dose is too large, the animal will suffer cardiac arrest.
Once the drug takes effect, the hippo is covered with a net and dragged through the mud by a road grader. A noose is thrown…
