# Could you successfully raise hippos in the US as a meat animal? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 11, 2014, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278 "2014-08-11T00:55:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/1 "2014-08-11T00:55:11Z")
[Per this book](http://www.amazon.com/American-Hippopotamus-Jon-Mooallem-ebook/dp/B00HEWJTF4) there was the idea promoted by several people in 1910 to bring [hippopotamus ranching to America](http://www.wired.com/2013/12/hippopotamus-ranching/). The idea was to alleviate the then current meat shortage and to free up rivers that were being choked (at that time) by the invasive Japanese Hyacinth which the hippos would eat. The attempt to import hippos failed to come together and the hippos were never brought over. But let’s say some billionaire wants to do it today and establish them in unused swampland or backwater rivers. [They are apparently thriving in Columbia.](http://www.nbcnews.com/news/latin-america/pablo-escobars-hippos-are-running-wild-colombia-n145446) Assuming you could somehow control them from wandering too far with Jurassic Park style fencing why could you raise them as a meat animal in controlled areas? ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/2 "2014-08-11T00:58:41Z")
Maybe as an alternative to [ham](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oOzszFIBcE)… ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/3 "2014-08-11T00:58:51Z")
What I’d like to see is a mini-hippo, suitable as a house pet. Can we do that instead? ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/4 "2014-08-11T01:01:11Z")
How many calories does it take to get a calorie of hippo meat? I believe chicken only requires 2 calories of feed to create 1 calorie of chicken meat. Cows are more like 7. No idea about pigs. I have no idea how long it would take a hippo to reach maturity or how many calories it would take. If we bred hippos to be less aggressive, mature faster and have more muscle (and I’m sure taste better) maybe but I wouldn’t know what the math is for that. Hippos right now are aggressive dicks that take about 10 years to mature. They aren’t passive like cows. And I don’t know if they would accept living in a massive unrelated group. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/5 "2014-08-11T01:08:12Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > How many calories does it take to get a calorie of hippo meat? I believe chicken only requires 2 calories of feed to create 1 calorie of chicken meat. Cows are more like 7. No idea about pigs. I have no idea how long it would take a hippo to reach maturity or how many calories it would take. > > If we bred hippos to be less aggressive, mature faster and have more muscle (and I’m sure taste better) maybe but I wouldn’t know what the math is for that. Hippos right now are aggressive dicks that take about 10 years to mature. They aren’t passive like cows. And I don’t know if they would accept living in a massive unrelated group. I think re the energy in-out calculations there is the assumption that the hippos would be grazing on aquatic plants and would be placed where invasive plants have become an issue. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/6 "2014-08-11T01:11:31Z")
It’s difficult to get people into the habit of eating food - especially meat - that they didn’t grow up with. Bison has seen moderate success; ostrich & emu very little. I wouldn’t bet much on hippo meat’s chances. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/7 "2014-08-11T01:18:08Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > What I’d like to see is a mini-hippo, suitable as a house pet. Can we do that instead? [Here ya go.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX95OAacPEc) ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/8 "2014-08-11T01:23:53Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > [Here ya go.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BX95OAacPEc) Awww, so cute! They seem to be pretending it’s fake, but that’s probably to keep people from getting them. I’m going to order a breeding pair. ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/9 "2014-08-11T01:33:34Z")
Some wild animals such as the African water buffalo and the zebra have proven resistant to domestication - meaning they stay wild and get on your ass if you annoy them. I have a feeling the hippopotamus is also in this group. They look like gentle giants but in fact regularly kill people. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/10 "2014-08-11T01:35:18Z")
One problem is that hippos are not domesticated animals. They are in fact very territorial and aggressive. eta: ninja’d ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/11 "2014-08-11T02:14:09Z")
> [@astro](#): > > I think re the energy in-out calculations there is the assumption that the hippos would be grazing on aquatic plants and would be placed where invasive plants have become an issue. Once the hippos clear out the invasive plants, what are you going to feed them? That sort of plan isn’t really sustainable. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/12 "2014-08-11T03:03:50Z")
Lot of good meat on a hippo -[GoPro - Carving up a Hippo](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7FRGiAT9pI) ---
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/13 "2014-08-11T03:19:05Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Once the hippos clear out the invasive plants, what are you going to feed them? That sort of plan isn’t really sustainable. Kudzu. [Kudzu in the United States - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu_in_the_United_States) the South has a near endless supply. One alien species to deal with another. What could go wrong? (Lots could. :D) ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/14 "2014-08-11T03:23:46Z")
Hippos could be used to help control excessive vegetation caused by farm run off water, harvesting excess animals could control the populations but they are very dangerous animals. I bet hippo milk would be good. ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/15 "2014-08-11T03:23:49Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Once the hippos clear out the invasive plants, what are you going to feed them? He does not greatly care for sweets Like ice cream, apple pie, or custard, But takes to flavour what he eats A little hippopotamustard. - [Arthur Guiterman](http://peeves-poems.blogspot.com/2013/06/habits-of-hippopotamus.html) ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/16 "2014-08-11T04:16:02Z")
> [@astro](#): > > The idea was to alleviate the then current meat shortage and to free up rivers that were being choked (at that time) by the invasive Japanese Hyacinth which the hippos would eat. The rivers would then have hippos in them. At least Japanese Hyacinth doesn’t actively try to kill you. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/17 "2014-08-11T04:23:38Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > Kudzu. [Kudzu in the United States - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kudzu_in_the_United_States) > > the South has a near endless supply. One alien species to deal with another. What could go wrong? (Lots could. :D) Arboreal hippos? And we think we have a problem with dropbears in Aust! ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/18 "2014-08-11T04:29:37Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > I bet hippo milk would be good. The venture now has made definite progress … we now have a volunteer to be milkmaid for the first experimental herd of dairy hippos. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/19 "2014-08-11T05:02:11Z")
> [@HoneyBadgerDC](#): > > Hippos could be used to help control excessive vegetation caused by farm run off water, harvesting excess animals could control the populations but they are very dangerous animals. I bet hippo milk would be good. They are dangerous, but how many generations would it take to breed out the worst of the aggression? It might only take 5-10 generations, however that will take 30+ years if hippos take 6 or more years to reach sexual maturity. I assume hippos could be bred to be better livestock animals. More meat, faster maturity, less aggression, etc. However I don’t know if/when they would truly be non-threatening animals. ---
**Author:** ![seodoa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@seodoa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seodoa)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2014, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278/20 "2014-08-11T05:20:41Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > What I’d like to see is a mini-hippo, suitable as a house pet. Can we do that instead? I’m not sure I want an animal known for its [incredibly impressive poo propelling abilities](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQCQ4nvn3Is) inside my house. No matter how small and cute. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-you-successfully-raise-hippos-in-the-us-as-a-meat-animal/695278.md?page=2)