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Two kings in one pond: The uneasy truce between hippos and crocodiles
Crocodiles and a hippo.
What you need to know:
- Visiting Tanzania, you will be spoilt with choices of where you will witness these savage neighbours who seem to do their cordial homework somehow. Mutual respect is observed to dispute the fact that hippos are massive with jaws that can deliver fatal bites to crocodiles.
Having a neighbour you do not get along with can be catastrophic, and worse, when you do not even share the same interests, you can’t even hang out, but that has been the relationship between the herbivorous beast hippopotamus and the carnivorous primaeval terror crocodiles. Visiting any national park in Tanzania, like Ruaha National Park in the Iringa region or Katavi National Park, known for its vast floodplain, you will find habitats where these two contrasting animals coexist.
The unlikely frenemy that has marvelled tourists who visit Tanzania was not forged in haste, but it is as ancient as the creatures themselves. Over a million years ago, both creatures had to adapt to life in the African bodies of water shaped by mutual need for survival, the changing environmental conditions, evolution, avoidance of direct competition, and recognising the roles each played that didn’t threaten the existence of the other.
Not competing for food is probably what makes this odd relationship last for millions of years, while crocodiles have been around for more than 200 million years, hippos have evolved from their ancestors, whales, and moved to freshwater and encountered crocodiles who had already ruled the rivers and lakes across Africa.
Visiting Tanzania, you will be spoilt with choices of where you will witness these savage neighbours who seem to do their cordial homework somehow. Mutual respect is observed to dispute the fact that hippos are massive with jaws that can deliver fatal bites to crocodiles. The often aggressive creature manages to maintain its cool in the presence of its reptile pond mates, while crocodiles are keen to avoid adult healthy hippos they share a home with.
Territorial boundaries and life patterns have also played a role in a largely peaceful coexistence. Hippos are nocturnal creatures, or more precisely, crepuscular; they spend most of their daytime resting in water, avoiding the sun. Once the sun sets, they leave the waters to graze, and in some cases, travel miles into the land in search of food.
This leaves the crocodile enough room for the rivers and lakes to dominate the waters free of hippos, avoiding unnecessary conflicts. Crocodiles, on the other hand, hunt by the riverbanks and plunge their prey underwater far away from hippos, who, in any case, are never interested in what meal crocs bring. Crocodiles also have a sinister benefit to this relationship.
These carnivorous animals would not hesitate to feed on a dead hippo; the massive dead hippo serves as a large meal that can truly feed a float of crocodiles and sustain them in times of scarcity. The feeding of a dead hippo doesn’t occur unchallenged; the bloated dead body is still protected by other hippos, who would try to scare crocodiles away. But crocodiles are opportunistic animals, and the hippo carcass is a juicy addition to their diet, and they would surround it in large numbers, taking bites and tearing it till it’s done. In a display of working as a team, one crocodile would bite on the hippo from one end while the other grabs on to the other end and rotates in a different direction, tearing the hippo to the bone. In the presence of these reptilians. Crocodiles who grow to 5 metres in length have been cleaners of the rivers and lakes; though their actions seem brutal, it’s what these waters are used for by the fishes and all the animals who depend on these waters for their very survival.
In a rare display of disloyalty and breaking the rules of this truce, crocodiles would on occasion lurk and attack young or sick hippos when they are desperate for food. Though this is a very risky engagement and often leads to fatal repercussions. Hippos are fiercely protective of their young ones and wouldn’t hesitate to break a crocodile in half when they feel threatened by their presence. Nevertheless, hippos view crocodiles as a necessary inconvenience; they serve as ecosystem balance agents, they clean up carcasses and scavenge the rivers and lakes, preventing the pollution of their waters by rotting animals.
This keeps the environment clean for hippos and other aquatic life. The wild is full of other predators whose appetite for freshness sometimes leads them to the shores where hippos and their calves reside.
The presence of crocodiles on this occasion serves as a deterrence to these predators, discouraging the likes of lions and hyenas from approaching the waters and giving the hippo young extra protection from potential dangers. Both species are always alert to their surroundings, but they form an odd alliance serving as each other’s warning system. When one animal reacts to ongoing danger and moves away, the other immediately takes notice and acts accordingly to defend themselves. This partnership is not truly mutualistic but functional and has been maintained throughout their existence.
Ruaha National Park in central Tanzania has witnessed impeccable showdowns between these two humongous beasts. Hippos are extremely territorial animals and would impose and remind crocodiles that every time the line is crossed. The place to see this odd pair is along the great Ruaha River, which runs through the national park.
A vital water source that attracts all inhabitants of the sanctuary. During the dry season, the river waterline is lower than usual; this is the best time to have a clear view of these animals. In the daytime hippos bask by the banks while crocs congregate at a safe distance enjoying the sunshine as well. Despite their presence, visitors can safely enjoy a picnic, a glass of wine, or a photo session in this picturesque environment.
Katavi National Park is another spectacle with dense streams and floodplains in the right environments where hippos and crocodiles thrive; the national park has a substantial population of the two beasts. As the water recedes, these animals come into a clear view, using the remaining pools to quench their thirst and cool down from the harsh sunshine of the dry season.
Nyerere National Park, formerly Selous Game Reserve, is one of Africa’s largest protected areas, containing the Rufiji River where hippos and crocodiles coexist. Tourists can board safari boats and have an up-close view of the animals in their natural aquatic habitat.
The Serengeti National Park has some of the most famous ‘hippo pools’ in Africa, where a large number of these animals can be found in one location. The best places to find these hippos gathering are around the Mara River, Seronera River, and Grumeti River areas; these waters are crucial in helping these animals with sensitive skins control the temperature of their bodies as they submerge in these rivers during hot temperatures.
Tanzania has been blessed to have one of the largest numbers of hippos in the world. Mostly found in the Ruaha-Katavi landscape, similarly, the country has a sizable number of Nile crocodiles, with the Rufiji River in Nyerere National Park being estimated to have over 100,000 crocodiles. Tanzania’s abundant hippo and crocodile populations solidify its role as a key conservationist of these iconic African species.
