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© Sedgwick County Zoo, credit: Paul Bowen

Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

Physical Characteristics

  • Broad snout, large mouth, short barrel-like body and short, stocky legs. The nostrils are located on top of the snout and can be closed. The sparsely-haired skin contains special pores which secrete "blood sweat." This thick, oily, pinkish substance allows them to remain in water or on dry land for long periods.
  • Size of average adult
    • length: 12 - 15 feet
    • height: 5 feet
    • weight: 2,000 - 10,000 lbs.
  • Approximate life span is 41 years.

Diet

  • Wild: grass

Behavior

  • May live alone or in large groups of up to 30. Adult males compete with each other for control of a herd. The chief weapons are the lower canines.
  • Bulls have a loud roar that can be heard over a great distance.
  • Spends practically the entire day sleeping or resting in or near water; then emerges to feed at night
  • Normally stay submerged 3-5 minutes, but can remain under for up to 30 minutes
  • Reproduction
    • sexual maturity: 3-4 years in captivity, 6-15 years in the wild
    • breeding season: any time of year
    • gestation: 227-240 days
    • normally single births, birth weight 60 - 110 pounds, young can swim before they can walk and may nurse underwater.

Environmental/Global

  • Habitat: areas of deep water with adjacent reed beds
  • Distribution: African rivers, including the Nile and the Mara
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