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A hippo opens its mouth wide. Toronto Zoo, zoo, Toronto zoo photographs, zoo photographs.

Mouth Wide Open, Hippo

"If you touch my tomb, you will be eaten by a crocodile and hippopotamus." - Inscribed on an Egyptian tomb

We went to the Toronto Zoo over the weekend and as always the camera was in tow. Even with the on again off again rain it was a great day.

This shot just happened, the hippo was spending most of the time with just the top of the head exposed when there was a sudden flurry of activity, a great big yawn with jowls exposed for the whole crowd to see and then back to staring at the crowds with just the eyes and snout breaking the surface of the swimming hole.

Nikon D70 | 400 | 1/250 | f9

  • Lens: Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8G IF AF-S VR
  • Flash: None
  • Tripod: None
  • Lighting: Ambient Sunlight
  • Post Pro: Levels & Color Balance
  • Weather: Clear
  • Time of Day: Afternoon
  • Location: Toronto Zoo, Toronto, Ontario

Posted on August 27, 2006 9:24 PM | | Comments (11) |

Comments

srp

Looks like he got a little snack with that yawn!! Great shot as always.

Posted at August 28, 2006 12:48 AM

milo

this is great ... freakin HUGE mouth!

Posted at August 28, 2006 9:08 AM

Beverly

Oh, I love that photo!

Posted at August 28, 2006 11:38 AM

Nikki-ann

Wow, that's quiet a shot!

Posted at August 28, 2006 12:38 PM

Emma

Mad props buddy! This shot is incredible! LOL Took me off gaurd, so it did.

Posted at August 28, 2006 3:22 PM

Paul Sveda

Thanks everyone, like someone had e-mailed me. This was a right place, right time kind of shot.

I am curious what that white peice of cartalidge like material above the tounge might be.

cheers,

Paul Sveda

Posted at August 30, 2006 12:00 PM

Anonymous

that is so cool but its teeth look like there rotting

Posted at August 31, 2006 7:58 AM

Bernardo Santos

Wow! That picture is awesome! Truly amazing! It's such an amazing and HUGE mouth. I love that picture!

A hippo with its mouth wide open is one of the most fantastic and amazing things. It's incredible how they can open their mouth SO MUCH. Wow! They can open their mouth to 1.20 metres. No other animal on this planet can open its mouth as much as a hippo.

I love hippos. I also love to see them with their mouth wide open - it is something really fascinating for me. Their mouth is HUGE, powerful, fantastic, incredible, colossal, imponent and amazing, but at the same time creepy as hell, truly scary, freaky, giving the impression of danger.

I love to see pictures of hippos with their mouth wide open and collect them. Their mouth is for me the 8th wonder in the world.

P.S.: Like someone says here, looks like this one got a little snack with that yawn!

Posted at August 31, 2006 5:29 PM

Paul Sveda

Dear Bernardo

I truly thank you and I am sure that Hippos around the world appreciate your enthusiasm. I appreciate the little factoid about the breadth of the hippos open jowl and your descriptive nature and general excitment about these majestic beasts. You are welcome to add the photo to your open-mouth-hippo collection and best of luck.

Cheers,

Paul Sveda

Posted at August 31, 2006 6:18 PM

Bernardo Santos

Oh thank you so much for supporting me! It's very kind of you. This is one of those things to share only here. Probably if I told somebody about this people would see me as a freak, a lunatic or a mad boy. It's kinda weird, but I just can't explain: I like hippo's mouth so much, their mouth is really impressing.

Sure that they would appreciate my enthusiam. They'd love me for that. LOL

About the collection that I mentioned, it's actually links with pictures. I have those links in my e-mail box and all I have to do is click on those links and get stunned with those wonderful pictures.

I can't post the pictures, but I can post the links here or, if you prefer, I can write you a private message with those links.

Posted at September 2, 2006 8:15 AM

Bernardo Santos

Hello, Paul Sveda!

Sorry for only answering now, but I've been kinda busy lately.

I have here links with my favorite open-mouth-hippo pictures. These are the most amazing pictures of hippos with their great mouth wide open:

http://www.allposters.com/-sp/-Posters_i983057_.htm

http://www.fotosearch.com/DGT064/pj005930/

http://www.fotosearch.com/AGE001/d88-130464/

http://www.animalpicturesarchive.com/view.php?tid=3&did=176627

http://www.photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=349519

http://www.photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=251648

http://www.photographersdirect.com/buyers/stockphoto.asp?imageid=612163

http://www.met-dent.de/images/hippopotamus.jpg

So, what do you think Paul? Aren't these pictures amazing?

Posted at September 22, 2006 7:20 PM