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- Infants can remain underwater only about 2 minutes
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Hippos spend most of the day in water to stay cool and hydrated. Just before night begins, they leave the water to forage on land. A hippo will travel 3–5 km (1.9–3.1 mi) per night, eating around 40 kg (88 lb) of grass. By dawn, they are back in the water. [36]
- Hippo Profile
- Interesting Hippo Facts
- Hippo Fact-File Summary
The hippopotamus, or hippo, is native to sub-Saharan Africa and is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal. The name hippopotamus comes from an ancient Greek word that translates to mean ‘river horse’ and the hippo is the third-largest land mammal following the elephant and rhinoceros.
1. Hippos are the deadliest large land animal on the planet
The Hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals in the world, killing an estimated 500 people a year in Africa. They are extremely aggressive, unpredictable, have sharp teeth and can crush a human or predator to death with relative ease due to their size. In one 2014 case in Niger, a boat was capsized by a hippo and 13 people were killed. 1
2. Hippos love the water!
The hippopotamus is a semi-aquatic mammal. This means that even though they’re a mammal like humans, dogs, cats, and other similar species, they spend a majority of their life in the water. Their historic habitat even included the Nile River. They love the water so much that the Greeks had named them river horses! However, they only spend their days in the water. By night, they’re on the land and grazing for up to 6 hours.
3. There’s only one wild herd famous outside of Africa…
And it has its roots entangled with Pablo Escobar! During his time, Escobar ran a private zoo which featured hippopotamuses. After he left, however, they escaped into the wild and continued to thrive in Colombia, where they are now part of a herd of at least 80. Since the hippo is an invasive species in this area that could damage the river ecosystems and native wildlife, there are now efforts to help reduce their ability to reproduce, providing a more humane way to halt the growth of the her...
Scientific Classification
1. AFP. “Hippopotamus attack kills 13 people, including 12 children, in boat near Niger’s capital Niamey” ABC News. November 19, 2014. 2. Weisburger, Mindy. “Pablo Escobar’s ‘cocaine hippos’ are being sterilized because the population is out of control.” Live Science. October 21, 2021. 3. Berkovitz, Barry K.B. “Tusks and Ivory” in Nothing but a Tooth. 2013. 4. Moustafa M Haddara et al. “Hippopotamus bite morbidity: a report of 11 cases from Burundi“. National Library of Medicine. August 10th,...
- Rivers, lakes & mangrove swamps
- sub-Saharan Africa, Colombia
- 40-50 years
- 13-18 ft (4 to 5.5 m)
Weight: 1,300-1,800 kg, length: 3-4 metres. THREATS. Poaching, habitat loss and degradation, human-wildlife conflict. Did you know?! Hippos can hold their breath for five minutes underwater and when they are completely submerged, their ears and nostrils fold shut to keep water out. How to recognise a hippo.
With a large barrel-shaped body, short legs and huge skull, the hippo is the third largest land animal in the world. Adult bulls can reach 4–5m long and weigh four tonnes (4,000kg).
The water must be deep enough for the hippo to submerge its entire body in; usually water about 2 meters deep is preferred. During the daytime, herds prefer to sleep in shallow water, or occasionally on a mud bank, grouped closely together.
After a few weeks, the calves finally exit the water to feed on grass. In the wild, hippos typically live about 40 years. Conservation Status. Hippos are listed by IUCN’s Red List as vulnerable due to loss of habitat. Hippopotamus habitats are infringed upon by humans, who use their grazing land for farming and also divert water for farming ...
Jul 8, 2024 · On average, hippos in the wild can live up to 40-50 years, while those in captivity may live even longer. Factors such as predation, disease, and environmental conditions can impact the lifespan of a hippo.
