Great Questions! While I don't know much about lemurs and hippos (ha!), I hope I can help with your other question.

Your suggestion about slowing down the song and making markings on the transcription is actually a great plan. Slowing the song way down and studying the relationship between the lead guitar phrases and the pulse (or drums) of the song is really the only way to get inside the problem and work it out.

I would suggest dividing the solo into distinct chunks or licks -- every 2 or 4 bars. Play along with that small chunk at a much slower tempo, and loop it over and over (there are several software programs or apps available to slow down songs and loop sections these days). Once you've mastered the timing at the slow tempo, start increasing the tempo in small increments and repeat the process. Eventually, because of the repetition, you'll find it easier to think less about the mechanics as your muscle memory takes over.

I realize this is a lot of work, but the more you apply this regiment, the easier and easier it becomes to pick up the timing of solo phrases for any song.

Hope this is helpful! Let me know how it goes.

Mike