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How do male hippopotamuses fight each other?

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A hippopotamus stands at the edge of a watering hole, with several other hippos partially submerged in the water, surrounded by green vegetation in Botswana, Africa. — hippopotamus The word *hippopotamus* is Greek for “river horse,” which reflects their behavior: they are often seen basking on the banks or sleeping in the waters of rivers, lakes, and swamps across Africa. They favor shallow areas where they can sleep half-submerged, though these places can become quite crowded—as many as 150 hippos may use one pool in the dry season.

Male hippopotamuses are highly territorial, and while most aggressive encounters consist of noise, splashing, bluff charges, and yawning displays to show their teeth, rare battles can occur when strange bulls invade a mating territory.1

When physical combat does take place, males use their sharp lower canines and incisors as weapons. They engage in combat by slashing upward at each other’s flanks. Despite the thickness of their skin, these wounds can be fatal.21