• Mostly nocturnal when feeding

• Lives in groups called pods

• Extremely territorial in water

• Communicates through vocalizations both above and below water

What It Eats

• Short grasses

• Occasionally aquatic plants

• Strictly herbivorous

• Can travel several miles each night to graze

Life Cycle

• Mating occurs in water

• Gestation lasts about 8 months

• Females give birth to a single calf

• Calves can be born underwater and nurse on land or in shallow water

Survival Skills

• Thick skin protects against sun and injury

• Secretes natural oils that act like sunscreen

• Large size deters most predators

• Excellent hearing and awareness in water

Fast Facts

• One of the heaviest land animals on Earth

• Can run faster than humans over short distances

• Mouth can open nearly 180 degrees

• Produces pinkish sweat that protects the skin

Conservation

Hippopotamuses are vital ecosystem engineers in African rivers and wetlands, transporting nutrients from land to water through their daily movements, which supports fish, insects, and aquatic food webs. They are threatened by habitat loss, drought linked to climate change, and illegal hunting for meat and ivory from their teeth, causing population declines in parts of their range. Conservation efforts focus on protected waterways, anti-poaching enforcement, sustainable water management, and community-based conservation to ensure hippos and the ecosystems they sustain can survive.​

Video Credit goes to Learn Bright