The Hippopotamus(Hippopotamus amphibius), often shortened to Hippo (pl.: Hippos), is a large semiaquatic mammal that lives in Sub-Saharan Africa. The Hippopotamus is also known as the Common Hippopotamus, Nile Hippopotamus, or River Hippopotamus. The Hippopotamus is classified in the mammalian order Artiodactyla and family Hippopotamidae.
Physical Characteristics
A Hippo’s body is typically brownish-pink. A Hippo’s eyes, ears, and nostrils are located high on the crown of their skulls; this is advantageous because these organs remain above the surface while the rest of the body is under water. Hippos have webbed toes. The average length of a Hippopotamus is 3 meters(9’10”), the average shoulder height is 1.5 meters(4’11”), the average weight is 1,923 kilograms(4,239 pounds), and the average tail length is 44 centimeters(1’5”).
| Genus | Hippopotamus |
| Species | H. amphibius |
| Binomial Name | Hippopotamus amphibius |
| Length | 1.5 to 5 M(4’11” to 16’4″) |
| Shoulder Height | 1.3 to 1.7 M(4’3″ to 5’7″) |
| Tail Length | 35 to 56 CM(1’2″ to 1’10”) |
| Weight | 1,273 to 3,636 KG(2,806 to 8,016 LBS.) |
| IUCN Status | Vulnerable |
Range And Habitat
Hippos live in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Côte d’Ivoire, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Hippos inhabit lakes, mangrove swamps, and rivers.
Breeding
A Hippo mother gives birth to usually 1 calf after a gestation period of 8 months. The calves are born on land or shallow water, A calf weighs an average of 50 kilograms(110 lb) at birth.
Diet
Hippos do not eat aquatic plants, but do eat grass and fallen fruit. Hippos leave the water at dusk to graze for seven to eight hours.
Fun Facts
- “The Hippopotamus” is a poem by T. S. Eliot, where he uses the Hippo to represent the Catholic Church.
- “I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas” is a Christmas song that was performed by child star Gayla Peevey in 1953.
- The Hippopotamus can live for up to 64 years old.
- Hippopotamus can be pluralized by either Hippopotamuses or Hippopotami.
- The name Hippopotamus comes from the ancient Greek for “river horse”.
