A Formidable Display
(2013)
Subject: A pod of Hippos in Africa Dimensions (inches): 57 x 92 Description: The hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in Africa and responsible for the most publicised deaths of people by wild animals on the continent, south of the Sahara. Although highly gregarious and usually cluster in close contact in the water where they spend most of their daylight hours, this social schizophrenic is nevertheless highly aggressive towards its own kind. Margie and I have been in close contact with hippos during our many travels to Africa, often having to carefully circumnavigate pods of hippos in rivers and waterways while leisurely travelling in boats and frail canoes. We have treated their presence with great respect when walking on foot through their grazing territory.
In this scene, a territorial male aggressively confronts a trespassing bachelor bull approaching too closely to one of his females with calf. The hippopotamus has a formidable set of teeth and tusks and its jaws are capable of an impressive 150º gape. Yawning or opening of the mouth is a dominance or threat display. Closely bonded to her calf, a disturbed and protective female faces the aggressors. The scene is set in a gently sloping waterway of the Okavango delta. The alarmed red-billed oxpecker and cattle egret are two bird species that can be found around these lumbering beasts.
Original Available For Sale:
Yes
Price: $15,000.00 US
Limited Edition Available:
Yes
Details: Limited Edition Prints sign and numbered by Chris with a Certificate of Authenticity. The original drawing in the AFC exhibition in the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum until March, an ideal time to buy while it is in USA. Edition Size: 300 Price: $350.00 US
Conservation Committment: 10% (Artist commits to donating the indicated portion of proceeds to conservation)
