Q&A for How to Deal With a Hippo Encounter

If you get close enough to bother it, it could snap your neck in two. They are territorial. If you see a hippo, keep your distance or avoid the location they are at.

It depends on the type of hippo. African hippos are accustomed to defending their territory to the death, however the French hippo is quite skilled at retreating and will do so readily.

If a hippo gets you and you don't have some kind of weapon, then most likely the hippo will kill you.

The hippopotamus has a IUCN conservation status of 'vulnerable', so you shouldn't kill one. You also likely need permits to kill one if you're a hunter. They are highly territorial in the water and can run at max 30 km/h (19 mph), making them very dangerous. But in all, yes, you could kill one with a crossbow. You will likely get only one shot off before it closes the distance to you, so don't miss. I would aim for a hip joint, crippling it, or slowing it down at least, rather than a one-shot kill. Then again, wounded animals are even more dangerous; are you able to double-wield two crossbows?

It depends on the type of floors you have in your home; if they can withstand about 1,500 kg of weight, then sure. You'll need to install a pool for it to rummage around in, and provide a huge amount of plants for it to eat - about 45 kg per day. You'll also need to find a way to get it to abandon its aggressive territorial nature, and your place will need to be rather big. Though I wouldn't say it's impossible, I can see a few big issues right off the bat that would make having a pet hippo pretty difficult.

A human could easily be killed by a hippo; they are just about the only thing crocodiles are afraid of. Their mighty jaws could snap you in pieces before you can snap your fingers. But they are mostly herbivorous; they eat plant material. They are angry, ill-tempered, lightning-fast territorial beasts, though, so if you irritate them, or even just encounter them, they are prone to attack. They can kill you, but won't eat you.

Hippos mostly live in Africa. You will find them in the jungles, by the water pools, in the water pools and on dry land. Once you do find them, though, get away faster than lightning. They are territorial, aggressive and can run like the wind. They have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom, a short fuse and a bad temper.

No. Hippos are herbivores and will not eat meat. Sisal is a type of plant, so there's less of a chance that they're going to be scared of it.

Get as far away from the hippo as possible and seek medical attention. If you are in the water when an attack happens, get to land, as most hippos will not chase from the deeper water into shallow water/on land. If you are on land, aim for anything well away from water that you can hide behind to slow down the attack.

Certainly! As long as you climb high enough on a sturdy tree it shouldn't be able to reach you or break the tree.

Most people in Africa keep their distance and respect hippos. Also, most villages near hippos are not right at the water's edge; they are usually roughly 100 yards away. So as long as the village is not blocking a hippo's food source, they will not attack people who live there. Although, they will attack fishermen at the water's edge, so do not fish near hippos.