Hippos have an immense bite force. They have a bite force of about 1800 psi. They have a reputation for being able to bite anything in half. However, can a hippo bite crocodile in half? Yes, a hippo can bite a crocodile in half.
Can Hippo Bites Crocodile in Half?
Hippopotami have astounding jaws with 50 centimeters long mouths and 180 degrees gape. They have a munching force of about 1800 psi. Compared to a crocodile, this bite force is a lot less because a crocodile has about 5000 psi of biting power. Yet a hippo’s bite is deadly with its canines backing the process up.
The sharp ivories can grow up to 20 inches. The sharp teeth can pierce through almost any skin. Though crocodile skin is covered with thick scales, they can’t stand between the jaws and canines of the hippo.
The massive mouth of the hippo can easily contain the body width of a croc. Once it has the reptile near its mouth, all comes down to the munching force. And with frightening chewing capabilities, an angry hippo can grind a crocodile in half.
Hippopotamuses killing crocodiles are relatively common in the wild. Yet mostly, they stomp the croc to death. The semi-aquatic mammal prefers stomping or goring to bite when it comes to killing something.
Besides, humans are the most that get attacked by an angry hippopotamus. Sometimes their upper limbs like the chest, abdomen, head, and face of many victims are penetrated. This might result in amputation. Sometimes serious injuries leave people paralyzed for life.
Why Are Crocodiles Afraid of Hippos?
Crocodiles and hippopotami have an interesting relationship in the wild. With excellent killing efficiencies, the Nile crocodiles of Africa are one of the deadliest. But they don’t like the presence of the other African giant, the hippopotamus.
Crocodiles would never attack an adult hippo. However, they like the flesh of the calves, because water is connected to both their lives, and their paths cross eventually, even if they don’t want to.
Sometimes they show mutual respect towards one another. But mostly, the hippo is just angry and drives the croc away. The croc would just avoid direct contact and move back into the water where it came from.
The hippopotamus dislikes invasions of its private space. So if it finds a crocodile basking on the beach that belongs to him, it pisses him off. It would run to the spot immediately and start biting the tail of the sleeping reptile.
This annoys the croc, but it tries to jerk it off by biting the hippopotamus back. But once it does that, the hippo turns to complete battle mode. It continuously shakes its head, starts grunting, and shows its ivories by doing a yawn-like posture, and The biting on the croc tail increases.
That pisses the crocodile off, and it has no choice but to leave its resting bed and go back to where it came from.
Besides, a mother hippopotamus would chew the crocodile’s tail off if it threatened the calf somehow. They are highly possessive about their babies and would attack the deadliest carnivores in the wild to protect them.
Conclusion
A hippo can bite a crocodile in half. It penetrates the bellies or tail of the reptile using its massive ivories. This leaves the croc terribly injured and hence dies from the wound.
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