Hippos are some of the deadliest animals in Africa, killing at least 500 people a year.
    An angry hippo can easily outpace a human, averaging 20 mph in short bursts, whereas a human can typically only run 6-8 mph.
    Hippos are known as some of the deadliest land animals in the world, with the mosquito being the overall winner.

Are hippos dangerous? Hippos hold a common perception of a cute and bubbly demeanor, but that is quite a far cry from the truth. Although their rounded features and cute babies may seem so inviting, it’s not a good idea to get near these giants. They are known to be quite dangerous and don’t have the best history when it comes to humans. Let’s take a look at this history and answer the question: Are hippos dangerous to humans? And exactly how dangerous are hippos?

Are hippos dangerous to humans? Hippos do attack humans and are very dangerous. When it comes to these large river horses (what their name translates to in Greek), there are about 500 deaths per year to humans in Africa. The number is shockingly large and outpaces nearly any other animal on earth. In fact, hippos are known as some of the deadliest land animals in the world, with the mosquito being the overall winner for a long time now (currently, it’s 725,000 per year).

With these sorts of numbers, it’s easy to answer the question: do hippos attack humans? The answer is an unequivocal yes.
How Dangerous Are Hippo Attacks?

Generally, it’s best to avoid hippos totally. If a hippo does happen to attack, the odds of living through it depend on whether you can get away or not. Sadly, if a hippo is able to grab you, the odds of escaping alive are slim.

Hippos really only attack people that have entered into what they consider their territory. On land, hippos aren’t generally territorial, but getting close is still a bad idea. Despite their stocky legs, an angry hippo can easily outpace a human, averaging 20 mph in short bursts, whereas a human can typically only run 6-8 mph.

Are hippos dangerous in the water? When you enter a hippo’s territory in the water, things can turn nasty fast. They typically keep to sections of rivers that are around 55-110 yards of shore (that number triples when it comes to lakeshores). They will relax and patrol their territory, readily displacing trespassers.

The most common hippo attacks come from the water with humans on boats. Since hippos are submerged, it can be incredibly hard to see them from the surface. If a human floats by while fishing, it’s easy to miss the massive animal at rest. Suddenly, the hippo will launch itself at the boat, usually capsizing it. Once a human is in the water, there is little they can do to stop the attack.

There are a few ways a human can die from a hippo attack. Typically, being crushed or bitten are standard. If the attack happens in the water, drowning is also a possibility.

Hippos don’t have an ax to grind with humans; they are simply unpredictable and likely to attack an intruder. But are hippos dangerous to other wild animals?

Besides humans, hippos are known to attack lions, hyenas, and crocodiles. Lions and hyenas generally avoid hippos with how easy it would be for a full-grown adult to kill a pack of either of them. Still, there are occasional instances where desperate lions and hyenas will find an isolated hippo and try to kill it. It doesn’t usually result in much, but a hippo doesn’t have a problem defending itself.

The most common interaction that hippos have is with the crocodile. Since they share territory, conflict is more common. Generally, there isn’t much friction between the two species. Still, there are occasional instances of violence. If a female hippo has a calf, any encroaching crocodiles are likely to be chased away. If they don’t learn their lesson, it isn’t uncommon for a hippo to outright kill an annoying croc.