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2023-07-06 
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The hippopotamus is a large semi-aquatic mammal that is found wallowing in the rivers and lakes across sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its appearance, the hippopotamus is an animal that is actually thought to be most closely related to whales, as the two are thought to have had a common ancestor that existed roughly 54 million years ago. Also known as the common hippopotamus, it is one of two hippo species that are found on the African continent, with the other being the solitary and forest-dwelling pygmy hippopotamus, which is only found in western Africa and is now critically endangered. There are only 3,000 pygmy hippos left in existence. Although the common hippopotamus remains an abundant and widespread animal throughout its current range, numbers are reportedly declining due to both hunting and habitat loss.
Anatomy and Appearance
The hippopotamus has an enormous grey barrel-shaped body that can measure up to 16 feet in length and weigh more than four tons, and which is held up by short and stocky legs. One of the hippopotamus’s most distinctive features is its enormous jaws which contain two long canine teeth (tusks) which can grow up to 20 inches long and are used for fighting. Due to the fact that the hippopotamus is an animal that spends most of its life resting in the water, they have a number of excellent adaptations to aid its semi-aquatic lifestyle, including four webbed toes on each foot that help with swimming and walking on slippery banks, and the eyes, ears, and nostrils of the hippopotamus are situated on the top of its head. This means that when the hippopotamus’s body is immersed in the water, they are still able to see, hear, and breathe whilst keeping cool in the hot sun.
Distribution and habitat
Although historically, the hippopotamus would have once been found across Europe and Asia, today, they are confined to Africa south of the Sahara Desert. The hippopotamus is always found close to the water and tends to prefer areas close to grasslands, where they feed during the night. Hippos are most commonly found in the deep and slow-moving rivers and lakes in eastern and southern countries, with only a few smaller and more isolated populations still found in the west. The hippopotamus is also a resident of the seasonal wetlands, where they wade through the swampy waters by day and graze on the small islands at night. Although the hippopotamus is still common throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa, their numbers have been declining, with one reason being the loss of their natural habitats, mainly caused by land clearance for agriculture.
Behavior and life style
The hippopotamus spends up to 18 hours a day in the water to keep cool, but when darkness falls, they venture out onto land and follow well-trodden paths to their feeding grounds before returning to the water in the morning. The hippopotamus is one of the largest and most feared animals in Africa, as both males and females are known to be incredibly aggressive at points. The hippopotamus tends to live in small herds containing between 10 and 20 individuals that are comprised of females with their young. The herd is led by the dominant male, who will fiercely guard his stretch of river bank from both intruders and rival males, threatening them by opening his enormous mouth to expose the 18-inch long tusks. If this fails, the two will fight, and deadly injuries are often caused. Although the dominant male will allow other males to enter his territory, providing they are well-behaved, he holds the breeding rights with the females in the herd.
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