Ever since I first watched the 1995 Blockbuster Congo I’ve been aware of just how deadly and evil hippos can be. In Congo, a group of scientists penetrate deep into the jungle of the Congo region of Africa in search of a lost colleague, only to find a hidden city full of diamonds and murderous gorillas. At an early point in the film the expedition’s crew is crossing a river and the locals are using floodlights to spot for hippos (before one attacks), and from that scene it’s very apparent that hippos are the baddest of asses around.
Naturally I did what any curious kid would do after seeing that scene and learned some more about hippopotamuses, and came to find out that they’re considered to be the deadliest animal in all of Africa. The reason hippos are so deadly is because (1) they’re enormous, (2) they have that gigantic mouth with enormous fangs, and (3) hippos are really, really angry all of the time. At a moment’s notice the hippo’s ready to throw down. Most deadly animals don’t also have the disposition of an MMA fighter, but hippos do. And thus they are the deadliest animal in Africa.
I learned all of this info about hippos back in 1995 when Congo came out after I’d watched the movie in theaters. It was around that time that I also purchased a Lipton (or Nestea, I forget) from the 7-11 near my house and WON A FREE ‘CONGO’ T-SHIRT. I mailed off the label and began waiting for my free Congo t-shirt. It’s now been TWENTY GODDAMN YEARS and my shirt still hasn’t arrived. So much time has elapsed that I’ve now forgotten which of those two tea makers I’m even mad at.
As for the bull shark vs. hippo video, here’s that action broken down in GIF. And for more on this rare encounter you can click on over to Traveller24: