Hyenas vs. Hippos

Hyenas are unpopular; it’s not completely fair.
They’re ugly, gross, and dangerous to humans, I’m aware,
But something else in Africa could fit the same depiction
And still enjoys a much more charismatic look in fiction.
I mean the hippopotamus, which kills far more each year.
In areas with hippos, they’re a common cause of fear.
By contrast, in the western world, they’re often shown as cute,
While very few hyenas come out better than a brute.
What’s more, hyenas share the Feliformia suborder
With cats (tho seeming doglike) and are definitely shorter
Than hippos, which have little more than chubbiness for charm.
Perhaps it’s thought that carnivores must do a lot more harm.