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The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) (/ ˌhɪpəˈpɒtəməs /; pl.: hippopotamuses; also shortened to hippo (pl.: hippos), further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus, or river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae ...
- What Is A Hippo?
- Appearance
- Life in The Water
- Aggression and Dominance
- Reproduction
- Threats to Survival
Hippopotamuses are large, semiaquatic mammals native to sub-Saharan Africa. Although their name comes from the Greek for “river horse”—because of the time they spend in the water—their closest living relatives are whales, dolphins, and pigs. They can’t swim, breathe underwater, or even float—but they have developed a tactic that lets them nap under...
Hippos are the world’s third-largest land mammals after elephants and white rhinos. Males can reach lengths of 10.8 to 16.5 feet, and weigh up to 9,920 pounds, while females weigh up to 3,000 pounds. These muscular animals have round torsos and pinkish brown bodies with two-inch-thick, waterproof skin, and short, stout legs. They might not look aer...
Hippos live in waterways such as rivers, lakes, and mangroves. Their skin may be thick but it is extremely sensitive and can easily burn or dry out in the fierce African sun. So, they spend most of their day in the water or mud to keep cool, wet, and protect their delicate skin. When basking on the shore, they secrete an oily red sweat-like substan...
These social animals live in groups called herds or pods, which typically include around 40 individuals or as many 200. They are highly territorial, and use dung middens—an area where they repeatedly poop—to mark their territory and communicatewith other hippos. Males will use their tail to flick their dung in all directions as a display of dominan...
Females reach sexual maturity around the age of 10. Gestation lasts eight months, and they give birth to one calf every two years. Hippos mate and give birth in the water. Weighing nearly a hundred pounds at birth, newborn hippos can hold their breath for 90 seconds. Once mother and calf have bonded, they join schoolsof other hippos for protection ...
The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies hippos as vulnerable to extinction. Although the hippopotamus doesn’t have many predators, it is threatened by poaching for its meat, fat, and ivory teeth. Other threats include the loss of its habitat and human-hippo conflicts. Because the species is slow to reproduce, threats can signi...
- 2 min
Nov 7, 2024 · Geographic range of living hippopotamuses in Africa Hippopotamuses were extinct in northern Africa by 1800 and south of Natal and the Transvaal by 1900. They are still fairly common in East Africa, but populations continue to decrease across the continent. This map shows the current range of common hippopotamuses and pygmy hippopotamus in Africa.
Dec 13, 2019 · Hippopotamuses have sex in the water—the natural buoyancy helps to protect the females from the suffocating weight of the males—fight in the water, and even give birth in the water. Amazingly, a hippo can even sleep underwater, as its autonomic nervous system prompts it to float to the surface every few minutes and take a gulp of air.
- Bob Strauss
More than one hippopotamus are called hippopotami, and 'hippopotamuses' or 'hippos' is also used. [4] Hippopotami are social. About 30 hippos live together in groups. A male hippopotamus is known as a bull. A female hippopotamus is called a cow and a baby hippo is called a calf. The species is also known as the common hippopotamus or the Nile ...
The Hippopotamus (hippopotamus amphibius) is the third largest living land mammal on the earth. The first largest is the elephant and the second is the white rhinoceros. A male hippopotamus is called a ‘bull’, a female hippopotamus is called a ‘cow’ and a baby hippopotamus is called a ‘calf’. The hippopotamus is a large, mostly ...
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Common Hippo. The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the Pygmy hippopotamus. Its name comes from the ancient Greek for "river horse". Aside from elephants and rhinos, the hippopotamus is the largest ...
