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The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) (/ ˌ h ɪ p ə ˈ p ɒ t ə m ə s /; pl.: hippopotamuses; often shortened to hippo (pl.: hippos), further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus and river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa.
Hippos are native to Africa and live mainly in sub-Saharan regions. They are semi-aquatic mammals and spend much of their time in slow-moving bodies of water like swamps, lakes, estuaries ...
There are two living species of hippopotamid in two genera; the pygmy hippo, Choeropsis liberiensis of the forests of west Africa, and the common hippo, Hippopotamus amphibius. The term hippopotamus can also be applied to hippopotamids in general, although it is most frequently used for the common hippo and its respective genus .
The Colombian hippos reach sexual maturity earlier than African hippos. [6] Another study in 2023 revealed the number of existing hippos to be even higher than previously estimated, with already between 181–215 individuals. [7] Hippopotamuses represent a serious threat to fishermen and other locals.
See photos of hippos from around the world: Then the camera switches to a terrifying new angle that has you staring straight into the hippo's massive open mouth, which looks like it could easily ...
Hippos are characterized by large, barrel-shaped torsos, stocky legs, and large mouths containing equally large canine tusks. They are huge and stocky, but despite this frame, can run upwards of
The common hippopotamus gives birth and mates only in the water, but pygmy hippos mate and give birth on both land and water. Young pygmy hippos can swim almost immediately. At birth, pygmy hippos weigh 4.5–6.2 kg (9.9–13.7 lb) with males weighing about 0.25 kg (0.55 lb) more than females.
Even the king of the jungle can have a bad day when trying to cross a river guarded by an aggressive hippo. Three lions found out the hard way that this river crossing was a giant hippo’s territory.