Hayley Myburgh filmed the playful animals opening their mouths in turn in a delightful and poignant interaction.
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The tender bond between the hippos was evident through the meaningful gestures.
Baby Hippo Life And Soul Of Herd
There’s nothing quite like spotting a baby hippo with its family during a game drive. Baby hippos must rank among the cutest of baby animals. With their wrinkly faces, sparkling eyes, and little, lumpy bodies, they are absolutely adorable.
This one was definitely the pride and joy of the hippo herd.
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The infant moved between an adult hippo and its older sibling with zeal and wide-eyed wonder, embracing the joy and adventure of the moment.
Strong Bond Between Herd Members Becomes Evident
Baby hippos are one of nature’s biggest babies. A newborn hippo weighs around 23 to 50 kg! Still, in spite of their big size, young hippos are vulnerable to predators. For this reason, their mothers are highly protective.
The large adult hippo with the two younger hippos was more than likely the small hippo’s mother. She provided a steadfast presence in the water.
A strong mother-child bond exists between hippo mothers and their calves. The calves will stay very close to their mothers for protection and comfort, often riding on their backs in deeper water.
They are usually nursed underwater. They will seal their ears and nostrils shut while suckling. They will then be weaned after about a year.
Tender Moments Of Playful Exchange
This small hippo stayed nestled between the two hippos. When it stood before its older sibling, it opened its mouth in a playful gesture. The sibling then opened its mouth in a mirror gesture, and they affectionately leaned in towards one another.
It was as though they were trying to show each other their teeth. It was a game of, “I’ll show you mine, if you’ll show me yours.”
The mother hippo watched on as the younger hippos playfully exchanged
Baby hippos are typically born with small milk teeth (deciduous teeth) already in place. These are mainly incisors and canines.
The milk teeth will continue to erupt during the first few weeks after birth, even while they are still nursing.
Around six to 12 months of age, the permanent teeth begin to grow in.
This happens gradually as they transition from a milk-only diet to eating grass.
The little one spent some meaningful moments with its older sibling. The tiny creature possessed all the cuteness that makes baby animals endearing, and it seemed to have the other hippos around its ‘little finger’.
There was some more tooth revealing, as the hippos showed their teeth again to one another. It even appeared they were inspecting each other’s mouths and playing a private game which only the two of them understood.
Though baby hippos are adorable, the hippo species is considered one of the most dangerous in Africa. With mom being highly protective, and with teeth as big as theirs, it’s possibly best to admire the babies from afar.