Hippo Hop 2001 Honorable Mention Confirmed True by Darwin Hippos play an important role in the African ecosystem. Their dung feeds tiny water microorganisms, which in turn support a food chain of larger creatures. On land, their large bodies and grazing habits make trails that provide other animals with easy access to water holes. African legend says the hippo was created to cut grass for the other animals. The hippo asked if she could stay in the water during the hot days, but God feared that she would eat all the fish. The hippopotamus promised not to, so God agreed. To this day she keeps her promise, dwelling in the water during the day and emerging to eat grass in the cool night air. 31 July 2001, Ukraine A Ukrainian woman hopped the fence at Kharkiv Zoo to swim with Masha the hippopotamus. The woman's playtime was cut short when the three-ton herbivore abruptly changed its dietary habit and mauled the intruder, in defense of its offspring. The sinking swimmer was rescued from the irate mammal by irate zoo workers, who sent her to the hospital where she was listed in serious but stable condition. Zoo officials said the woman's action was far from unusual: visitors commonly ignore warning signs and fences to cavort with the animals. Because this happens so often -- with polar bears, tigers, whales, and now a hippopotamus -- I am hereby adding it to the list of mental lapses which, while dangerous, occur too regularly to be amusing. DarwinAwards.com © 1994 - 2001 Submitted by: Keith, Igor Malesev, Matthew Comprix Hmm. Did I say the hippos were dull? And now back to Spim.