Category
🐳
AnimalsTranscript
00:00 Hello and welcome everyone!
00:02 If you find your life difficult, it's time to change your perception.
00:06 Because today we are going to talk about the animal that wins the prize of the most difficult life,
00:10 the hippopotamus.
00:11 This big package of floating meat could give you the impression that holidays at sea are hell.
00:16 But don't worry, we will clarify things by addressing the 10 reasons that make their life a real daily challenge.
00:22 Imagine being chased by hunters with rifles, simply because you have a big behind well dodgy.
00:28 And Ivory defenses that are very coveted on the black market.
00:31 Hippopotamuses can defend themselves in the water, but they are completely defenseless on the mainland,
00:36 which makes them very vulnerable to poachers.
00:38 They must therefore constantly be on guard and live in fear.
00:41 But that's not all, hippopotamuses are very sociable animals.
00:45 They live in large families in swamps and rivers in Africa.
00:48 Imagine the chaos that occurs when a member of the family is caught by the hunters.
00:52 The remaining hippopotamuses are then left to themselves, without protection and without the support of their group.
00:57 They are then even more vulnerable to poachers.
01:00 And if that wasn't enough, hippopotamuses are also faced with another problem.
01:05 Their meat is very appreciated for its flavor and texture, which makes them even more vulnerable to illegal hunting.
01:11 They are therefore subject to a double threat, both for their defense in Ivory and for their meat.
01:16 It's as if you were chased by bandits who wanted not only your beautiful gold watch,
01:19 but also your delicious ham sandwich.
01:22 Now imagine having to live in a small house while you are used to having a large villa.
01:27 It's a bit like you had to live in a shoebox while you're used to having a big apartment.
01:32 Hippopotamuses are very territorial animals, and they need a lot of space to move and feed.
01:38 Unfortunately, their natural habitat is constantly threatened by deforestation and human expansion.
01:43 The rivers and swamps in which they live are regularly drained to make room for new development projects,
01:49 which forces them to move to more remote and less secure places.
01:53 It's a bit like you had to leave your big apartment to go live in a small house outside the city.
01:58 And if that wasn't enough, hippopotamuses also have to deal with the pollution of their environment.
02:03 The waters in which they live are often contaminated by industrial waste and domestic waste,
02:08 which can make them sick and prevent them from eating properly.
02:11 It's a bit like you had to drink contaminated water while you're used to drinking clean and pure water.
02:17 Hippopotamuses' life isn't easy.
02:19 Hippopotamuses are considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa, but it's not always their fault.
02:25 In fact, they are often in conflict with local farmers who consider them harmful to their culture.
02:30 Hippopotamuses are big eaters and can easily devour a whole crop in a blink of an eye.
02:35 Farmers are therefore forced to hunt them or scare them to protect their investment.
02:40 However, hippopotamuses don't take it very well and tend to react very dramatically.
02:45 They can suddenly lift tons of mud and water with their powerful tails,
02:49 sending herbs everywhere and flooding the crops.
02:51 Farmers are then forced to run to save their crops and hippopotamuses can run away in a hysterical way.
02:58 It's a very funny scene, but also very expensive for farmers.
03:02 It seems that hippopotamuses and farmers must find a common ground if they want to coexist peacefully.
03:07 But the poor aren't all. They also have the threat of being killed by terrible African poachers.
03:13 Hippopotamuses are often hunted for their meat and skin, which puts them at risk of extinction.
03:18 It's a bit like if you were constantly being hunted by people who wanted to eat you for dinner.
03:23 Imagine living in constant fear of being caught in a trap and turned into steak.
03:27 But poachers are not only content to hunt them, they also use cruel and inhuman methods to catch them.
03:33 Sometimes they set up deadly traps to catch them, which can cause serious injuries and even death.
03:38 It's a bit like if you were constantly threatened by deadly traps installed in your own house.
03:43 And if that wasn't enough, poachers can also be armed with guns and other lethal weapons,
03:48 which makes hippopotamus life even more difficult.
03:51 They are subjected to constant pressure to hide and escape from poachers,
03:55 which prevents them from feeding and resting properly.
03:58 It's a bit like if you were constantly forced to hide and move to escape from armed people who wanted to hurt you.
04:05 To make matters worse, hippopotamuses are always in competition for food resources and habitats.
04:11 Hippopotamuses are very social and territorial animals,
04:14 which means they constantly have to fight for their food and their living space.
04:18 It's a bit like if you were constantly forced to share your kitchen with dozens of hungry cousins.
04:23 But it's not just the amount of food that is a problem, it's also the quality.
04:27 Hippopotamuses mainly eat herbs, but when grazing becomes rare,
04:31 they have to settle for eating less nutritious plants.
04:34 It's a bit like if you were forced to eat inferior quality food every day.
04:39 And it's not just the food that is a problem, but also their habitat.
04:42 Hippopotamuses are forced to share their space with other animals, which can sometimes cause conflicts.
04:47 It's a bit like if you were forced to share your room with an angry elephant.
04:51 And because we still have to tell you the truth about these big babies weighing several tons,
04:56 it is true that hippopotamuses are... how to say... rather aggressive.
05:00 Hippopotamuses are known to be very aggressive animals, which do not hesitate to attack other animals,
05:05 including humans, if they feel threatened.
05:07 Imagine constantly fighting with your neighbors to defend your territory.
05:12 It can be stressful, exhausting and even dangerous for hippopotamuses,
05:16 who must constantly be on the lookout to protect their own lives and their territory.
05:20 And it's not just their aggressiveness that makes life difficult for hippopotamuses,
05:23 but also their territorial behavior.
05:26 They are very protective of their territory and do not tolerate any intrusion.
05:29 Imagine living with an angry guard dog that never lets you in your home.
05:33 This can be stressful and can even lead to violent confrontations with other animals,
05:37 who seek to share the same territory.
05:39 In addition to this, the aggressiveness and territorial behavior of hippopotamuses
05:43 can also cause problems for neighboring human populations.
05:46 Hippopotamuses can attack humans and pets that are near their territory,
05:51 endangering the lives of these people and these animals.
05:55 No luck for our hippos friends, in addition to all these little problems,
05:58 their sensitive skin and their specific diet.
06:01 Indeed, hippopotamuses have a very sensitive skin,
06:03 which can easily get irritated and cut when they move in their natural habitat.
06:07 Imagine having a skin as thin as a sheet of paper,
06:10 and having to walk in muddy water and cutting grass.
06:13 This can be very dangerous and cause infections if the skin is damaged.
06:16 And it's not just their skin that makes life difficult for hippopotamuses,
06:19 but also their strict diet.
06:22 Hippopotamuses can only eat grass,
06:24 and they have to eat a lot to maintain their large body mass.
06:28 Imagine eating salads every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
06:32 It's not very varied and can get boring over time.
06:35 In addition to that, finding quality grass to feed yourself can be a challenge for hippopotamuses.
06:40 They often have to move over long distances to find food,
06:43 which can be difficult and exhausting.
06:45 And if they don't find enough grass to feed themselves,
06:47 they can become malnourished and even die.
06:50 You probably know that hippopotamuses are social animals and live in groups called "herds".
06:55 It may seem like an advantage for them, but in reality it can cause problems.
06:59 First of all, hippopotamuses have to face competition for food and resources.
07:03 There is always a stronger and more aggressive individual who dominates the group,
07:07 which can make life difficult for the other members of the herd.
07:10 Imagine trying to have your breakfast at the cafeteria of your school,
07:13 but you have to fight against the other students to get the food you want.
07:17 It's not fun.
07:19 In addition to that, hippopotamuses also have to face social pressure to adapt to the group's norm.
07:24 If you are a little different from the norm, it can make life difficult for you.
07:28 Hippopotamuses can be stigmatized if their appearance or behavior
07:32 does not correspond to what is considered normal in their group.
07:35 Imagine being the only one wearing yellow shoes to a rock concert,
07:38 you would feel a little uncomfortable, wouldn't you?
07:40 Finally, hippopotamuses also have to face rivalry and conflict between the members of the group.
07:46 There will always be rivalry for power and resources,
07:49 which can cause conflicts and tensions.
07:51 Imagine having to fight for the last pizza in your group of friends.
07:55 It's not very fun.
07:57 According to experts, our kind hippos would suffer from a low self-esteem.
08:02 Yes, you heard right.
08:04 Hippopotamuses can suffer from a low self-esteem.
08:06 It may sound strange, but it's true.
08:08 First of all, hippopotamuses can be criticized for their physical appearance.
08:12 They have a porous skin and front teeth that can frighten other animals.
08:15 Imagine being criticized for your physical appearance.
08:18 It can make you feel very uncomfortable.
08:20 Then, hippopotamuses can be criticized for their behavior.
08:23 They can be considered aggressive and unsociable,
08:26 which can make them unappreciated by other animals.
08:28 Imagine being criticized for your behavior.
08:31 It can make you feel very uncomfortable.
08:33 Finally, hippopotamuses can be criticized for their lifestyle.
08:36 They spend most of their time in the water,
08:38 which can make them difficult to understand for other animals.
08:41 But don't worry, they stay well away anyway.
08:45 In addition, our hippopotamus friends have a lot of difficulty moving around.
08:49 Hippopotamuses are heavy and massive animals,
08:51 which makes them difficult to move from where they are.
08:54 Imagine having to move a heavy wardrobe every day.
08:57 It can be exhausting.
08:58 And that's not all.
08:59 Hippopotamuses are also very clumsy on the ground.
09:02 They can easily stumble and fall,
09:04 which can be very embarrassing for them.
09:06 You imagine falling in front of everyone all the time.
09:08 It can be very humiliating.
09:10 They are very heavy and can easily sink,
09:12 which can make them vulnerable to predator attacks.
09:15 Well, don't worry too much,
09:16 because the adult hippopotamus has no other predators than humans because of its size.
09:20 Young people, on the other hand, can be the prey of lions, hyenas and crocodiles.
09:24 In addition to all this, hippopotamuses must also face other challenges,
09:28 such as rugged terrain and muddy areas.
09:30 Walking on rugged terrain can be very difficult for them
09:33 because of their weight and lack of flexibility.
09:36 And mud can make their movements even more difficult.
09:39 In the end, the difficulty of moving can make life very difficult for hippopotamuses.
09:44 However, they have also developed strategies to compensate for their difficulty in moving,
09:48 such as swimming or fast running.
09:50 And there you go, we have explored the challenges of the life of a hippopotamus
09:53 and we have laughed at their awkward situation.
09:56 But now it's time to say goodbye to this old friend with thick skin and sharp teeth.
10:00 I hope you learned a lesson today about perseverance and willpower.
10:04 Because despite all the difficulties of their life,
10:06 hippopotamuses continue to swim through troubled waters.
10:09 So the next time you see a hippopotamus in a park,
10:12 don't forget to wave at it and wish it good luck for its next challenges.
10:16 Because who knows, maybe one day we will also be faced with difficulties as out of reach as theirs.
10:22 [Music]
10:26 [Music]