Cocaine Hippos on the Attack !!!

[uwe]

You just wait until they get to you!

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/apr/12/calls-action-on-colombia-hippo-scourge-animal-dies-road-crash

Animals migrate.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/06/alligator-found-west-texas-desert

I actually like hippos. I know they're dangerous, but they are graceful underwater.



Couldn't they take the place of your manatees you've managed to make almost extinct? I'm sure they have effective defense mechanisms against too many boats in their environment.

[Dave W]

I didn't know that Amy Schumer could roll over underwater!

[Alanko]

I saw this lovely hippo in Copenhagen zoo recently.

[Basvarken]

What I don't understand is how 4 hippos can lead to a healthy population of 150? I thought that inbreeding leads to a weaker population. And that it will eventually die out because of the lack of genetical diversity?

[uwe]

Inbreeding takes several to a lot of generations to really show drastic results and is not equally relevant for all species and their populations. There are stable and healthy populations of certain species that have a very limited DNA pool (the European Bison for instance which due to its former close to extinction status needed some fresh DNA from its North American relatives). But of course there can be long term effects, there are for instance certain hereditary diseases that are more prevalent in the UK due to its geographic island location.

Also, the inbreeding risk has been overplayed with humans because - quite rightly so - incest is deemed culturally undesirable. In Germany, you may sleep with or marry your cousin, but not your sister or brother. The biological risk variation between the two scenarios is of course there, but not to an extent that it would justify making one a crime and the other perfectly legal. For the avoidance of doubt: I'm not making a case for incest, just saying that its (justified) criminalization is more culturally/socially driven than biologically determined.

[Basvarken]

Ah okay. Thank you for refreshing that biology lesson from a few decades ago ;-)

[gearHed289]

I thought that inbreeding leads to a weaker population. And that it will eventually die out because of the lack of genetical diversity?

Well, that one wasn't smart enough to get off the road, so there's that.

[TBird1958]

What I don't understand is how 4 hippos can lead to a healthy population of 150? I thought that inbreeding leads to a weaker population. And that it will eventually die out because of the lack of genetical diversity?

Who knew that Hippos were so horny?   

[uwe]

Ah okay. Thank you for refreshing that biology lesson from a few decades ago ;-)

Alas!, parts of the Dutch population have obviously also lived a rather secluded existence ... All those dykes are difficult to cross.

Do you guys think its time that I retell my favorite incest joke?

[uwe]

   

Who knew that Hippos were so horny?   

You again. I have it from a reliable source that they do not engage in - what was that new word again ... - buggery?

[Basvarken]

Alas!, parts of the Dutch population have obviously also lived a rather secluded existence ... All those dykes are difficult to cross.

Haha true. Volendam, Urk, Marken and Spakenburg are notorious.

[uwe]

I saw this lovely hippo in Copenhagen zoo recently.

TLBO - The Last Butt 'Ole.

[TBird1958]

You again. I have it from a reliable source that they do not engage in - what was that new word again ... - buggery.

It's their loss! 

[uwe]

Maybe we should listen to him and spice things up a little? Just sayin' ...

[TBird1958]

Maybe we should listen to him and spice things up a little? Just sayin' ...

See, now you're talkin' it's nature's way!