All animals are beautiful and unique in their own special way, the reality is that they have their ups and downs just like us humans. Today, we will break it down into three categories – the good, the bad and the ugly!

 

Cheetah – the fabulous well-behaved animal!

Cheetahs are tall and elegant cats in appearance, with a large chest, narrow waist, long thin legs and a slim yet well-muscled build; speed is what makes this cat unique! So, in saying that, what makes them good, you may ask?

Well, a Cheetah is usually less aggressive than any of the other wild cats, and are in fact way more tamable than their fellow furry friends, although we do not condone petting any wild cat, trust me you won’t live to tell the story!

Unlike other cats which usually hunt at night, Cheetahs hunt for their food during the day. Their diet consists of Gazelles, Impalas and smaller hoofed animals.

Cheetahs can’t roar due to the lack of a floating hyoid bone in their neck, they have semi retractable claws which make their footprints easy to distinguish, and they are indeed a magnificent species.

 

Hippopotamus – the bad ass animal

Hippos are considered to be the third largest land mammal with short legs, a huge mouth and a body shaped like a barrel. Their small eyes, little ears and noses are placed upon their heads, which enables them to smell, see and breathe while most of their body is submerged under water. Hippos can also open their mouths to 150 degrees which shows off their large tusk like teeth, sharp enough to crush anything that gets in their way.

These feisty giants are extremely aggressive and unpredictable, especially if they feel threatened.

Known as one of Africa’s most dangerous animals, according to Wikipedia, they kill 500 people a year! Like other animals their attitude can vary due to experience, perhaps being more aggressive in areas where they are frequently hunted or harassed. Oddly, Hippos are the most territorial whilst in water and not when on land.

Hippos really are as bad ass as you can get. No matter where they are, be it water or land, they can make a crocodile look like prey instead of predator, and they can even take on a couple of lions if needed.

 

Also, just like fish and turtles on a coral reef, hippos occasionally visit “cleaning stations” and signal by opening their mouths as wide as possible, to inform certain species of fish, that they are ready to be cleaned. It’s a win, win situation, the hippos benefit from the cleaning and the fish receive food.

 

Hyena – the ugly

Known as one of Africa’s ugliest animals, these cunning scavengers are not all about their looks and creepy laughter, they are the greatest hunters – yes you heard right! Not only do hyenas have the strongest jaws in the animal world, they don’t leave much left over, devouring every part of a carcass, and leaving little trace of a dead animal.

What is quite sweet is that the mothers in a clan will share the responsibility of nursing each other’s young, and other members of the clan bring food for the cubs.

Let’s address that annoying laugh – surprisingly this has very little to do with making fun of someone or something, the pitch can in fact indicate the age and social status of the Hyena!

Compared to a leopard or a cheetah, the hyena does take a back seat when it comes to looks. The short back legs and the pseudo penis of the females normally results in hyenas making it into the ugly category. However, beauty is in the eye of the beholder. No matter what they look like, in the end Hyenas are beautifully functional and exquisite predators that should not be defined by their looks but rather by their success in dominating the wild.

 

They may be good, bad and ugly, but each has a certain beauty to them. Their beauty is seen through their long legged elegance, seen through their unwavering strength or their cunning ability to hunt. Each of them deserves to be appreciated for who and what they are because as we know, most humans can learn a thing or two from the good, the bad, and the ugly……