Hippos are not usually friendly to humans.
Although hippos do sometimes have a docile appearance, hippos are also very highly territorial and are also known to be aggressive, especially when they happen to feel threatened or perceive you as an intrusion on their space.
Hippos are also responsible for several human deaths in Africa every year, which makes hippos one of the most dangerous animals on the planet and continent.
Hippos are very strong animals and are fiercely protective of their territory, and most particularly waterways and surrounding areas.
The hippo is also prone to charging and attacking of humans, especially when the hippo feels cornered or their space becomes invaded.
Hippos can also move at surprisingly fast speeds and on land can move as fast as 30 mph and are incredibly strong as well.
Hippos also have very powerful jaws as well as teeth which can also inflict severe and even fatal injuries.
Hippos are also not domesticable and despite some stories of humans raising hippos, the hippo is not a suitable pet and can turn aggressive even when they are raised from a very young age.
So it's important to maintain a safe distance from hippos and avoid any types of actions which could be seen as threatening to the hippos.