Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Small boats can easily be capsized by hippos and passengers can be injured or killed by the animals, or drown in the water. In one 2014 case in Niger, a boat was capsized by a hippo and 13 people were killed. [103] Hippos will often raid farm crops if the opportunity arises, and humans may come into conflict with them on these occasions.
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.
Hippos can be found in both savannah and forest areas. [1] Proper habitat requires enough water to submerge in and grass nearby. [31] Larger densities of the animals inhabit quiet waters with mostly firm, smooth sloping beaches. Males may be found in very small number in rapid waters in rocky gorges.
Several folktales have been collected about the pygmy hippopotamus. One tale says that pygmy hippos carry a shining diamond in their mouths to help travel through thick forests at night; by day the pygmy hippo has a secret hiding place for the diamond, but if a hunter catches a pygmy hippo at night the diamond can be taken.
A baby pygmy hippo living at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand continues to become a viral sensation. The 2-month-old pygmy hippopotamus named Moo Deng was born in July, according to NBC News, and ...
Hippos can get airborne when moving at high speeds over land, according to a new study. This is the first time that the animals, which can weigh more than 2,000 kilograms (2.2 tons) and spend much ...
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.
The heaviest land mammal is the African bush elephant, which has a weight of up to 10.1 t (11.1 short tons).It measures 10–13 ft at the shoulder and consumes around 230 kg (500 lb) of vegetation a day.