Chapter 49: Chapter 615: Elegant Water Ballet
Pangpang started to stroll slowly along the shore.
Its round belly, resembling a pregnant belly, combined with the folds under its chin, made it look clumsy and heavy.
Since coming to Linhai Zoo, its appetite had increased significantly, and recently, its belly seemed to have grown even larger.
Compared to its massive body, its legs were disproportionately short, like an armored vehicle with toy car tires.
Lifting its leg forward, it took a step, paused, then took another step, moving at a leisurely pace, calm and composed.
Its walking style resembled a soulful tango, each step hitting the beat, its head swaying left and right rhythmically!
This created a fascinating contrast with its clumsy body, and the visitors found an unexpected elegance in its walk.
As Pangpang walked slowly, its tail gently swayed back and forth.
Its small eyes squinted, exuding a lazy vibe.
"Wow, such elegant little steps!"
Qian Keke watched Pangpang and remarked, "As long as it's not pooping, it's quite cute!"
Tang Xiaoxin agreed, "Yeah, it looks so clumsy and adorable!"
Pangpang had just come out of the water, and its thick skin reflected the sunlight, with a hint of dark red in the deep brown, shining brightly.
"Its skin looks like it's covered in sunscreen! I really want to touch it!"
"I wonder what it feels like, smooth or rough?"
"Maybe it's similar to an elephant's skin?"
The visitors curiously looked at the keeper!
The keeper smiled and explained, "A hippo's skin is indeed very smooth! Their bodies are covered by a thick layer of skin, with almost no hair or pores, except for some short hair on their tails."
"During hot weather, you might often see elephants rolling in mud pits or sprinkling sand on themselves after playing in the water. Elephant skin has many wrinkles, which help retain moisture and provide a lasting cooling effect.
"Hippos, on the other hand, have smooth skin, and when exposed to air, moisture evaporates quickly, so cooling and sun protection become issues.
"Although hippos don't have sweat glands, they have other glands that secrete a thick red liquid when they become dehydrated. This liquid not only blocks UV rays and prevents insect bites but also moisturizes their skin!
"It's somewhat like sunscreen and provides excellent protection for their skin.
"The red color of a hippo's skin isn't sunburn or bleeding; it's their own 'blood sweat.'
"Of course, a hippo's favorite way to cool down is to stay underwater! Spending too much time on land can strain their legs, but being in the water reduces the burden on their limbs."
"Oh~"
The visitors expressed their realization!
The keeper continued with a smile, "Anyone want to touch a hippo?
"Don't let their appearance fool you; hippos may look like the slow, dopey creatures from Pokémon, but they're actually very fierce! They have a strong territorial sense and a bad temper, viewing any intruding creatures as enemies and attacking them.
"In Africa, more people die from hippo attacks than from lions, making hippos the second most dangerous herbivores after elephants.
"We always have to be careful when handling them, so please don't think of them as gentle animals."
"Wow! I never would have guessed!"
"I thought hippos were gentle!"
Tang Xiaoxin couldn't help but say, "They seem like pandas! They look cute but are actually very fierce."
At that moment, a head quietly emerged from the water.
Dudu's head barely peeked above the surface, looking like a large brown rock if you didn't look closely!
Its bulging eyes cautiously observed the surroundings, like a submarine's periscope.
"Poof," it snorted, spraying two jets of water from its nostrils like small fountains!
The keeper introduced, "This is Dudu! It's a bit timid and has social anxiety, so it stays underwater and doesn't surface. It's probably calling Pangpang now!"
Sure enough, Pangpang heard the sound, turned towards Dudu, and slowly walked back into the water.
Qian Keke speculated, "Did it come up just to poop? But a lot of it still fell into the water. How can it be comfortable staying in there?"
Tang Xiaoxin thought for a moment and said, "Well, it's its own poop, so it probably doesn't mind?"
Qian Keke grimaced, "Eww!"
She gradually accepted that hippos were quite messy animals.
As Pangpang entered the water, the two hippos submerged together, and the visitors followed them to the underwater corridor.
Tang Xiaoxin and Qian Keke held hands and walked over, looking through the transparent glass wall to see the hippos underwater!
The area where Pangpang had gone up and down was shallow, about a meter deep, allowing the hippo's head and back to be exposed, giving it a place to step up and down.
Further in, the water deepened dramatically, like a waterfall cliff!
Sunlight filtered through the water, casting shimmering light on the rocks below.
Dudu, with its head down and legs tucked in, drifted slowly underwater.
As it reached near the bottom, it extended its front legs, gracefully stepping on the rocks, then used the momentum to float back up!
It continued to tuck its front legs, spinning 270 degrees underwater with its head and tail as the axis, its belly facing the glass wall.
Gently kicking its hind legs, it adjusted its direction and floated towards the other side.
Pangpang also descended to the bottom, lightly stepping and floating up, elegantly chasing after Dudu from behind.
"Wait for me!"
They moved with the grace of a startled swan and the elegance of a swimming dragon!
Despite their massive bodies, their agile and light movements underwater gave a magical impression!
The two hippos chased each other up and down, like playing a game, or performing a water ballet, dancing gracefully in the shimmering light.
Tang Xiaoxin and Qian Keke widened their eyes in amazement and exclaimed.
"Oh!!!"
"Amazing!"
It was their first time seeing hippos swim, and they couldn't have imagined how graceful they were underwater, much more beautiful than on land!
The surrounding visitors quickly took out their cameras, snapping away.
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