Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
Mammalia
VULNERABLE
Stats
- Lifespan
- 40-50 yrs
- Size
- Huge
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Activity
- Nocturnal
- Social
- Herd
- Biome
- Freshwater wetland
- Range
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Movement
- Walking
- Breeding
- Live Birth
- Defense
- Herd Safety
- Status
- Vulnerable
About
The common hippopotamus spends up to 16 hours a day submerged in rivers and lakes to keep cool, secreting a natural sunscreen called 'blood sweat' — a reddish oily fluid that acts as both moisturiser and antimicrobial agent.
Life cycle
- 1.newbornA live-born newborn nurses on its mother's milk and depends on her for warmth and protection.
- 2.juvenileA weaned juvenile begins eating solid food and learning from its parents or group.
- 3.adultFully grown at adult size.
Learn more
Taxonomy
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Artiodactyla
- Family
- Hippopotamidae
- Genus
- Hippopotamus
- Species
- Hippopotamus amphibius