I have no idea how hippos got dragged into this but that part is a mess on all sides. But of course humans can live without meat. We can also live without sunlight, chocolate, cars, sex, iPhones, and more. We are suited to eating many things and surviving many environments, being able to does not mean that is pleasant or what is best. Many animals suffer needlessly and that is sad. Perhaps there is a worthy cause to dedicate the time, money, and effort spent on trying to convince the majority of the world not to follow a diet that has served humans for over 10k years? Like maybe double down in humane treatment of animals, or work harder to rehome the scores of pets peta kills yearly? Perhaps you could start your own humane commercial meat business, or a vegan food infrastructure? What? That's hard work and you'd likely be un competitive against current commercial producers? Well... guess you can understand their position better huh?
The common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, is a large, mostly herbivorous, semiaquatic mammal.
They have long, sharp teeth. By Peta's standards they should be carnivores.
Whales don't have teeth. They eat... well most anything they get in there really. But primarily meat (plankton) so they're kinda pescatarians? Hippos are primarily herbivores but they are omnivores. They can and do eat meat just fine. But looking at the teeth of the omnivore in the PETA example a hippo with its flat teeth and pointed canines fits neatly in their description of an omnivore. They are morons for making this ad, that I don't debate, but for other reasons than that.
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· 6 years ago
Actually hippos that eat meat have mental issues or are under excessive stress. Their bodies aren't designed to digest meat.
I honestly don't have enough personal hippo experience to speak from first hand experience. I would t doubt that ad primarily herbivores meat would be harder on their digestion than plant material, and eating too much of anything can make any animal sick. Until the 1990's carnivorous behavior in hippos was thought to be rather rare- the studies video began to emerge that shower it was much more commonplace. Researchers like Joseph Dudley have made reports on the issue. As far as making them mentally unwell... I'm not so sure about that unless the meat itself carried some type of disease or prion. Hippos are very susceptible to anthrax outbreaks and it's thought that the reason why is because they both get exposed through plants and soil, as well as through scavenging dead animals and canibalising hipoos who died of anthrax. But I do agree they are primarily herbivores and admit my earlier statement made it sound as though meat were a staple of their diet instead of my intent.
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· 6 years ago
I guess those giant, sharp teeth of theirs are more compareable to, say, the tusks of a boar or elephant.
Also my canines are pointy af what are they talking about
Jokes aside: Some people do. We can't digest the cellulose but still, some people have a thing for Ealing grass.
They have long, sharp teeth. By Peta's standards they should be carnivores.