Hippopotamus mother and calf, South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

© Nature Picture Library/Alam

Admire from afar!. South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

All eyes are on hippopotamuses today! This peeping calf in today's image is still under the watchful eye of its mother and will continue to be so until nursing ends at about eight months. The third-largest land mammals—after elephants and white rhinos—deserve our attention. The chubby mammals, with an impressive weight of up to 1,500 kilograms, might seem cute, but their strong jaws, large teeth and aggressive behaviour make them one of the world's most dangerous wild animals. Categorised as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, these semiaquatic animals are native to Sub-Saharan Africa. So, admire them from a safe distance—despite their short legs, they are also fast runners!