Common Hippopotamus - Encyclopedia of Life (2024)

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Common Hippopotamus - Encyclopedia of Life? ›

Hippopotamus (Common Hippopotamus) is a genus of mammals in the family hippos. Definition: Active swimming organisms that live in the water column and are able to move independently of the water mass (adapted from Lincoln et al., 1998).

There are two species of hippos — the large/common hippo and the smaller relative, the pygmy hippo.

Daily Life: a hippo spends most of its day basking on a sandbar, or lazing in the water with just its ears, eyes and nostrils, and perhaps its back and top of the head, exposed. It feeds mostly at night, coming on land to eat mainly grass.

The incredible hippo has been a part of the African ecosystem for millions of years, once ranging from the Nile river valley to the Cape. However, due to illegal and unregulated hunting, retaliatory killings and widespread habitat loss, the remaining 125,000-148,000 common hippos are now confined to protected areas.

Hippos inhabit rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps. Territorial bulls each preside over a stretch of water and a group of five to thirty cows and calves. Mating and birth both occur in the water. During the day, hippos remain cool by staying in water or mud, emerging at dusk to graze on grasses.

Pod of Hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) in Luangwa Valley, Zambia. Hippos and whales may look different in many ways, but they are actually each others' closest living relatives—sharing a common ancestor that lived about 55 million years ago.

Hippos benefit from spending the day in waterways for a number of reasons: their delicate, hairless skin stays hydrated – which adds to the viscous effect of a reddish secretion that gives their skin a pink to purple hue.

Pygmy hippos are native to swamps and rainforests in western Africa, and it is estimated that only about 2,000-2,500 remain in the wild, Gros says. With only a dozen pygmy hippos born in zoos in 2023 – and fewer that survived – each of these births are crucial towards efforts to repopulate the species.

Hippos are not listed under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. As a result, domestic trade within the United States is not regulated at the federal level, and imports of hippo parts and products are not scrutinized under the ESA's strict standards.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the common hippopotamus as “vulnerable,” meaning it is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. There may be as few as 115,000 adult hippos remaining in the wild in Africa today, with populations continuing to decline in most range States.

What is a female hippo called? ›

9) Female hippos, called cows, give birth every two years, usually to a single calf. Soon after birth, the mother and her baby join up with other cows and calves for protection against predators, such as crocodiles, lions and hyenas.

Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) & Pygmy Hippopotamus (Cho*rpsis liberiensis) Fact Sheet: Taxonomy & History.

What animal eats hippos? Adult hippos have few predators because of their large size and aggressive nature. However, some animals still attempt to prey on hippopotamuses. Lions sometimes attack young or weakened hippos, especially if they have been separated from their herds.

Hippopotamus madagascariensis, the Madagascar or Madagascan dwarf hippopotamus, is an extinct species of hippopotamus, endemic to the island of Madagascar.

Many have questioned whether the hippo deserves to be listed as threatened or endangered. There are 115,000-130,000 hippos globally — far more than what most would consider a dwindling population.

Of the two remaining hippo species in the world, the pygmy hippo (who inhabits the forests and wetlands of West Africa) is endangered while the common hippopotamus (found mainly in sub-Saharan grasslands) is listed as vulnerable.