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Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus
amphibius
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 Appearance
One of the giants of Africa,
the hippopotamus has a bulky body and a massive head
and mouth equipped with an impressive set of teeth;
the canine teeth form tusks. Its legs are short and
thick, and there are four webbed toes on each foot.
When the hippopotamus is in water, it lies with much
of its vast body submerged; often only the bulging
eyes, ears and nostrils are visible. It swims and
dives well and can walk along the river or lake bottom.
Body: Male: 3.2 - 4.2 m (10 1/2 - 13 3/4 ft), Female:
2.8 - 3.7 m (9 1/4 - 12 ft), tail: 35 - 50 cm (13
3/4 - 19 3/4 in) |
Description
Hippopotamuses play a vital
role in the ecology of inland waters, both by keeping
down bankside vegetation and by excreting tons of
fertilizing manure into the water, which encourages
the growth of plankton and invertebrates and thus
sustains the whole ecosystem. Hippopotamuses are gregarious
animals and live in groups of up to 15 or so, sometimes
more, led by an old male. Males are aggressive and
will fight for prime positions on the riverbank or
for dominance of the group. To threaten or challenge
a rival, the male opens his mouth in a huge, yawning
gape and bellows. All adults are fierce in defense
of their young. |
Regions
Africa, south of the Sahara:
Transvaal in rivers or lakes in grassland |
Diet
Daytime hours are spent resting
in water or on the shore; then, in the evening, the
hippopotamus emerges to graze on land, taking short
grass and other plants and fallen fruit. |
Breeding
Mating takes place in water
at any time of year but is generally timed so that
births coincide with the rains and, thus, the luxuriant
growth of grass. A single young is born on land or
in shallow water after a gestation of 233 to 240 days.
The young is suckled for about a year, and females
usually give birth every 18 months to 2 years. |
 Status
Non-threatened |
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