Welcome To The Hippopotamus
Web Page
The common name of the hippopotamus is hippo; they grow to be 13 feet to 15 feet long and 5 feet high at the shoulder. This magnificent animal can weigh between 4,000 and 8,000 pounds. An African animal, he has a huge gray bulky body with a large head. The hippos facial features somewhat resemble those of a pig. The hippo's eyes, ears, and nostrils are placed high on its head. This enables it to see, hear, and smell easily while swimming. The ears and nostrils can be closed when the hippo goes under water.
A water loving animal the hippo has a life span of 20 to 40 years in the wild and 50 in captivity. The rivers and lakes of grasslands throughout West and East Central Africa are home to this fascinating animal. They are extinct in northern and southern parts of their original range in Africa. Hippos are found mainly in large populations on preserves.
This amazing animal is a herbivore; he prefers short grasses of the African plains. Since hippos' favorite food is short grass, they keep these grasses well trimmed which may help to deter grassfires. Hippos are an important part of the African ecosystem. Hippos defecate in the water. The hippo is the only land mammal that can open its mouth a full 180 degrees. This unique ability gives the hippo the second-largest mouth of any creature on Earth. Only whales have bigger mouths.Their dung provides essential basic elements for the food chain. Tiny microorganisms feed on it and then larger animals feed on those organisms. On land, hippos' large bodies make trails through vegetation that other animals may use for easy access to waterholes.
Interesting Facts
1. Hippos spend most of their days in the water or wallowing in the mud, generally coming up on land to feed at night.
2. Hippos are efficient grazers - their Hippos were once thought to sweat blood. Actually, hippos secrete pinkish colored oil that helps them keep their skin moist in the hot
3. The Hippos’ lips are almost 70 cm. or about two feet wide!
4. Baby hippos swim the moment they are born because they are born underwater. And female. Hippos will actually baby sit in large groups.
4/7/00