One of the world’s deadliest animals once swam freely in the Detroit River. A dog stopped him

In 1863, a hippopotamus traveling with Bailey’s Circus escaped into the Detroit River during transit by steamship. The hippo’s trainer used the animal’s canine companion to help coax the hippo back to shore, successfully recapturing it without harm. Though hippos are known as one of the world’s deadliest animals due to their aggression and high fatality rates in attacks, the Detroit area is not home to wild hippos today. The most dangerous animal in the region remains the mosquito, which continues to thrive in the area.