On the vast African continent, there exists a seemingly gentle creature that possesses deadly weapons. Its massive body and strong limbs create an impression of grandeur, yet its attack power exceeds imagination.
The hippopotamus is a herbivore that produces a significant amount of ammonia in its digestive system, a substance that is unpleasant and toxic to many aquatic species. When hippopotamus dung infiltrates water bodies or wetlands, ammonia is released, causing serious effects on the environment and surrounding organisms.
In humans and other animals, high levels of ammonia can irritate the respiratory tract, eyes, and skin, leading to inflammation and damage. Prolonged exposure to high ammonia concentrations can also result in respiratory infections and other health issues.
Hippopotamus dung is excreted waste that, due to its unique composition, has certain lethal capabilities. It contains higher ammonia concentrations than normal. (Photo: ZME).
Hippopotamus dung contains a large amount of organic matter and bacteria. There is a unique microbiome in the digestive system of hippopotamuses that helps them digest food, but it also produces some toxic metabolites.
In the dung, these organic materials and bacteria can provide an environment for pathogenic microorganisms to thrive, posing a potential threat to biosecurity in wetlands and aquatic areas. These organic materials and bacteria can also pollute water sources and spread infectious diseases by contaminating water sources and wetlands, harming local ecosystems and human health.
Chemical residues in hippopotamus dung can also be toxic to organisms. Due to increasing human activity and industrial pollution, some toxic chemicals may enter the hippopotamus food chain through water and soil. When hippopotamuses consume food containing these toxic chemicals, they can accumulate in their bodies and be excreted through their dung.
Hippopotamus dung can contain certain toxic chemicals, such as pesticides, heavy metals, and organic pollutants, which can be harmful to the environment and surrounding organisms. What makes hippopotamus dung particularly dangerous is its release of ammonia, the presence of organic matter and bacteria, along with residual chemicals.
These components can harm the surrounding environment, organisms, and human health. When handling hippopotamus dung, appropriate measures should be taken to reduce impacts on ecosystems and human health. Additionally, efforts must be made to monitor and control pollution sources in hippopotamus habitats to protect the health and stability of this species and their environment. (Photo: Liveabout).
What impact does hippopotamus dung have on aquatic life? Unveiling the surprising truth about fish suffocation
Aquatic organisms play a crucial ecological role in nature; however, we often overlook the threats posed by a creature that seems harmless. This creature is the hippopotamus, whose dung has significantly affected the habitats of aquatic organisms, even causing fish to suffocate.
As a herbivore, hippopotamus dung has a substantial mass. Each hippopotamus excretes about 40 kilograms of dung daily, which contains a large amount of organic matter and nitrogen compounds. Once these substances enter the water, they rapidly decompose to produce ammonia nitrogen. Ammonia nitrogen is a strong oxidizer that reduces oxygen levels in water, affecting the survival of aquatic organisms.
When hippopotamus dung contaminates water sources, ammonia nitrogen quickly dissolves and spreads throughout the surrounding water. The increase in ammonia nitrogen concentration in water inhibits oxygen dissolution, leading to insufficient oxygen levels. This phenomenon is known as hypoxia, posing a significant threat to the survival of aquatic life, with fish being among the most susceptible to oxygen deficiency.
Hippopotamus dung has a significant impact on aquatic life, reducing oxygen levels in water and exacerbating the issue of hypoxia, threatening fish survival and potentially causing suffocation. The addition of organic matter will also stimulate algae growth, further worsening water pollution and oxygen deficiency issues. (Photo: Zhihu).
When oxygen levels in water drop, fish can suffocate and fail to receive enough oxygen to maintain normal living conditions. The increase in ammonia nitrogen in water leads to the acidification of water quality, causing liver and gill damage in fish, reducing their immune response and making them more susceptible to diseases or even death.
The organic matter in hippopotamus dung also contributes to water pollution. These organic materials are decomposed by bacteria to produce nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, promoting algae growth in water. The reproductive process of algae consumes a large amount of oxygen, further exacerbating hypoxia in water and affecting the survival of fish and other aquatic organisms.
The hippopotamus is the largest terrestrial herbivore on the African continent and is a keystone species in rivers and lakes. Hippopotamus dung contains a large amount of organic matter, rich in nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, which, when these nutrients enter water sources, can pollute them and significantly harm the existence and development of aquatic life. (Photo: Zhihu).
