You learn something new everyday, and today I learned that male hippos will defecate while fighting each other in order to claim territory. Yes, you read that correctly. Hippos literally spray they turds as far as they can in order to assert their dominance over each other.
Need further proof? Watch this awesome video posted by @natureismetal and recorded by @remoteafricapilot!
“During the dumpening, the tail is used to fling feces as far as 10 meters (32.8ft) from the extrusion site, spraying turds as far as he can on either side in an attempt to claim this land as his own.”
Imagine you’re squared up with a guy and he started to take a dump right there in the middle of the bar… I know I’d be intimidated and back down immediately. I’m not messing with a dude willing to shit on the floor to win a fight.
In fact, I might have to keep that in mind the next time I’m in an altercation. It might be an effective way to avoid getting my face smashed in…
The video was recorded at Tafika Safari Camp in Zambia.