Thread by @the_lexiement

About the Hippo.

Hippos have this wonderful behaviour known as dumpening - a kind of magical swoosh of their tail whilst they simultaneously poop that swirls out the faeces in a spray that reaches up to 10 metres away.

There's a few reasons why they do this *1*

It's largely territorial, but it's done when they recognise danger and when they feel threatened as well. I could have really done with some dumpening abilities recently, I'm sure poop spraying would have kept a lot of the dangers away from me *2*

However, digression, I don't hold the capabilities, and it's not something I've thought about for a long time, but I am currently in the process of an autobiographical piece and watching this occur a few years ago was magical (I was more than 10 metres away) *3*

It has made me feel really grateful that I will never have to toilet train a toddler Hippo though - what with the 'terrific' twos, toilet training and ten metre poop spraying all happening at once Mama Hippos must have a lot on their hooves. It also made me think *4*

Of some of the other ways that animals have adapted when they feel they are under threat, and how we view these as natural and fascinating behaviours, but we are quite happy to condemn nearly all the behaviours of our own species when they feel under threat. *5*

We are so quick to judge the behaviour, rather than looking for the route of the problem and trying to rectify it - humans take the easy way out, those in the positions of power continue, and often increase, the issues relating to what is causing the dumpen *6*

rather than reasoning and rectifying the causes. So for those of you on #madtwitter who are going through awful experiences with people in power not listen, please just remember this little tale on dumpening and know it's fine to have a good dumpen once in a while. *7*

Obviously probably not with actually poop, but in any other way - we're all animals at the end of the day and sometimes we need to be a little more Hippo.

I am also delighted to say there's proper research into this Hippo behaviour and it's a far better read *8*

Than most of the research into grumpy humans, particularly those with mental health labels and "complex needs".

Perhaps the professionals need to start adding more animal behaviour research into their CPD hours.

Still glad I'm not a Hippo mama though *End*

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