The Continuing Adventures of Jud

Another visit to the Childrens Education Center at the Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park to test out a new camera. Managed to get a very nice profile shot of the Alligator Snapper. His head is about 3 or 4 fists in size.


Then headed over to see Lu, and caught the end of the day's program about Lu. After, Vicki, Lu's best friend, and a Park Ranger, turned the hose on him, something he loves, and at the end of that, he gave us a special display.


This is "full open" and is a threat display. Hippos eat grasses and fruits: for that, they barely part their lips. However, if another male challenges their position, they attack one another with a full open mouth, scraping each other with their big front teeth. Their bite is as powerful as that of an alligator.

Lu has "bad" teeth- they curve out and around his jaw, so they would not be very effective in such an encounter: in the wild, he would be easily defeated and probably killed. However, as a movie and TV star, he lived a pampered life and never faced such challenges.

Labels: Florida, Hippopotamus, Homosassa Spring, Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park, HSWLSP, Jud, Lu