hippopotamus
07/23/2007
Jessica the Hippo: Part of the Family
When you think about adorable animals, do you normally think of the hippo? No. No, you don't. And that's a good thing -- hippos by nature are giant, violent creatures to be avoided (that's what I learned from the Jungle Cruise at Disneyland, anyway).
But Jessica, as captured in this Sky News piece, is different. Jessica, you see, thinks she's people. And the South African family with whom she lives encourages this -- feeding her, massaging her, and even letting her cuddle up on the front porch under a pink blanket.
While hippos are widely considered to be the most dangerous animal in Africa, there are no reliable statistics to support this. Perhaps all these noble beasts need is regular feeding. And neckrubs.