CC BY-SA 4.0 · Muhammad Mahdi Karim · source
Quick Facts
- Type
- Mammal
- Size
- 3.3–5.2 m body length
- Weight
- 1,500–3,200 kg
- Habitat
- Rivers, lakes, and wetlands in sub-Saharan Africa
- Diet
- Herbivore — grasses consumed during nightly land grazing
- Active Time
- Nocturnal (grazing); diurnal (resting in water)
- Lifespan
- 40–50 years in the wild and in captivity
Field Notes
- Hippopotamus skin produces a red oily fluid called blood sweat that acts as natural sunscreen and an antibiotic, protecting against infection in muddy water.
- Despite living in water, hippos cannot swim — they simply walk and bounce along the river bottom, and even newborns are born underwater.
- Hippos are more closely related to whales and dolphins than to pigs or horses — their last common ancestor lived about 55 million years ago.
About the Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus is the third-largest land animal on Earth and one of the most dangerous, responsible for more human fatalities in Africa than any large predator. Despite their aquatic lifestyle, hippos cannot swim — they walk on the river bottom and can hold their breath for up to 5 minutes. They spend the day submerged to stay cool, then emerge at night to graze on grass, consuming up to 40 kg in one session. Their skin produces a reddish oily secretion that acts as natural sunscreen and antibacterial protection. Hippos are more closely related to whales than to pigs.
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