In the spirit of SDMB’s TMs chasing possible leads to the truth down any burrow, I found the following article in New Scientist 11/02/1995 p10 (yeah well, old maybe, but I doubt that the statute of limitations has expired!)
The leech, * Placobdelloides jaegerskioeldi * is apparently a parasite unique to hippos. It would appear from the article that once sexually mature and fully fed, the leeches migrate into the hippos rectum to breed.
Researchers also note that while “there were obviously some very interesting adaptions involved” further study would involve working with a live hippo and that this didn’t seem to be a viable option.
So, at this medical convention in London, a doctor from Africa and a doctor from Asia are having a loud discussion.
“The word is woomba,” insists the doctor from Africa.
“No, the word is whoomp,” says the doctor from Asia.
A British doctor passing by interrupts and says, “Gentlemen, I think the word you mean is ‘womb’” and then moves along.
The Asian doctor turns to the African doctor and says, “I’ll bet he’s never even SEEN a hippo, let alone heard one fart under water.”
