Dr. Rebecca Lewison

That's exactly it. That they're waiting for their roses. They're waiting for their turn at bat. And they, might challenge that male, right? And that's when you'll see those cool sort of like big gaping fights where they stand off and, you know, fight on the beach. So maybe that's the beach master.

It's very challenging to know how much sneaking there is, right? For a lot of species where there's like a dominant male or even monogamous couples, there's still extra pair copulations, we call it. And I don't know how much sneaking there is. So it's possible that those bachelor males sneak and get access to the females, but we don't know.

It's very challenging to know how much sneaking there is, right? For a lot of species where there's like a dominant male or even monogamous couples, there's still extra pair copulations, we call it. And I don't know how much sneaking there is. So it's possible that those bachelor males sneak and get access to the females, but we don't know.

It's very challenging to know how much sneaking there is, right? For a lot of species where there's like a dominant male or even monogamous couples, there's still extra pair copulations, we call it. And I don't know how much sneaking there is. So it's possible that those bachelor males sneak and get access to the females, but we don't know.

And that's something that if we could get like tissue samples or be able to do genetic testing to be able to kind of figure out lineages or which calves are related to which parents. It's so hard to get to them. And it's almost impossible to tell them apart. Hippos just don't have any structures. It's rude probably to say they all look alike, but to our eye, they really do.

And that's something that if we could get like tissue samples or be able to do genetic testing to be able to kind of figure out lineages or which calves are related to which parents. It's so hard to get to them. And it's almost impossible to tell them apart. Hippos just don't have any structures. It's rude probably to say they all look alike, but to our eye, they really do.

And that's something that if we could get like tissue samples or be able to do genetic testing to be able to kind of figure out lineages or which calves are related to which parents. It's so hard to get to them. And it's almost impossible to tell them apart. Hippos just don't have any structures. It's rude probably to say they all look alike, but to our eye, they really do.

I have touched hippos in captivity. I have touched dead hippos. I have not touched a live hippo in the wild. I've never been that close or in, you know, I wouldn't do that, but it's a great question. Like, how do we get samples? Another question is like, why don't you just put a collar on them? What's the big deal? Go figure out where they go on the collar front.

I have touched hippos in captivity. I have touched dead hippos. I have not touched a live hippo in the wild. I've never been that close or in, you know, I wouldn't do that, but it's a great question. Like, how do we get samples? Another question is like, why don't you just put a collar on them? What's the big deal? Go figure out where they go on the collar front.

I have touched hippos in captivity. I have touched dead hippos. I have not touched a live hippo in the wild. I've never been that close or in, you know, I wouldn't do that, but it's a great question. Like, how do we get samples? Another question is like, why don't you just put a collar on them? What's the big deal? Go figure out where they go on the collar front.

Turns out hippos don't have a neck. Most of the collars go around the neck. They don't have a neck. What they have is a head that's attached to the rest of their barrel-shaped body. You can't put a collar on them. So most of the technology that we have for tracking rhinos or tracking elephants won't work on hippos.

Turns out hippos don't have a neck. Most of the collars go around the neck. They don't have a neck. What they have is a head that's attached to the rest of their barrel-shaped body. You can't put a collar on them. So most of the technology that we have for tracking rhinos or tracking elephants won't work on hippos.

Turns out hippos don't have a neck. Most of the collars go around the neck. They don't have a neck. What they have is a head that's attached to the rest of their barrel-shaped body. You can't put a collar on them. So most of the technology that we have for tracking rhinos or tracking elephants won't work on hippos.

In fact, a colleague of mine, the first tag that we put, and it wasn't a collar tag. It was like a tag that they attached... just on the skin, wasn't until 2013. And it stayed on for like a kilometer. Amazing feat, but really, really hard. So hard to figure out where they're going. And to get samples from them.

In fact, a colleague of mine, the first tag that we put, and it wasn't a collar tag. It was like a tag that they attached... just on the skin, wasn't until 2013. And it stayed on for like a kilometer. Amazing feat, but really, really hard. So hard to figure out where they're going. And to get samples from them.

In fact, a colleague of mine, the first tag that we put, and it wasn't a collar tag. It was like a tag that they attached... just on the skin, wasn't until 2013. And it stayed on for like a kilometer. Amazing feat, but really, really hard. So hard to figure out where they're going. And to get samples from them.

The other thing about hippos, remember we talked about they're amazing from head to tail. They have one of the thickest hides or skins of any animal. hands down. In fact, people used to use hippo skin to make whips because they are the most durable and hardest. So actually even getting a dart or something like that into a hippo, very, very hard.

The other thing about hippos, remember we talked about they're amazing from head to tail. They have one of the thickest hides or skins of any animal. hands down. In fact, people used to use hippo skin to make whips because they are the most durable and hardest. So actually even getting a dart or something like that into a hippo, very, very hard.

The other thing about hippos, remember we talked about they're amazing from head to tail. They have one of the thickest hides or skins of any animal. hands down. In fact, people used to use hippo skin to make whips because they are the most durable and hardest. So actually even getting a dart or something like that into a hippo, very, very hard.

They are not. Nope.