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Table of Contents

Introduction......pg. 4

Chapter 1: Lovely Lifespan/Offspring.......pg. 6

Chapter 2: Delicious Diet/Monstrous Mouth Structure......pg. 8

Chapter 3: Two Terrific Types.............pg. 10

Diagrams........pg. 12

Chapter 4: Vulnerability/Where to Find Them.......pg. 14

Fun Fact.....pg. 16

Conclusion.....pg. 18

Glossary.....pg. 20

About the Author.....pg. 22

Introduction

     The hippo is a very strange looking creature.   It has unique 

qualities, and special adaptations (like all other organisms).  

     The ancient Greeks gave this animal another name, 

"hippopotamos", which means "river horse".   But hippos are 

not related to horses.

Hippos and horses 

are not related.

Lovely Lifespan/Offspring

Lifespan

     A hippo's lifespan is 25-45 years averaged from captivity and in 

the wild.

Offspring

     A hippo's offspring is called a calf.   Their gestational period is 8 

months.   Hippo's calves are born in either shallow water, or on land.   A 

calf is relatively small, weighing from 55-120 pounds.   Young hippos 

can stay underwater for only about one-half minute.  

     A hippo begins eating grass at approximately 3 weeks of age.   Its 

mother continues suckling its calf for about 1 year.

This is a hippo and her calf.

Delicious Diet/Monstrous Mouth Structure

Diet

     Surprisingly, a hippo is a herbivore.   At night, hippos graze, and can 

eat up to 100 pounds of vegetation per night.

Mouth Structure

     A hippo has a monstrous mouth structure!   They can open their 

mouths up to 160 degrees.   They also have tusk-like teeth.

This picture shows a hippo with an open mouth.

Two Terrific Types

     Common and pygmy hippos are the two different types of hippos.  

Although they are both hippos, they are very different in many ways.  

For example, they are very different in size.   A common hippo can 

measure up to 10-15 feet in length.   However, pygmy hippos are only 

about 5 feet in length.   Common hippos can weigh around 3,000-7,000 

pounds.   In contrast, pygmy hippos weigh approximately 400-600 

pounds.   Finally, common hippos are the third largest land mammal in 

the world.   On the other hand, a pygmy hippo is about as big as a large 

hog.

This is the common 

hippo.

This is the 

pygmy hippo.

Diagram #1

Diagram #2

Vulnerability/Where to Find Them

Vulnerability

     Hippos are not endangered, yet are vulnerable.   Hippos were killed for 

their meat, their teeth (tusks), and/or for sporting in the past.   Today, 

the common hippo population has increased.   Many hippos were killed 

during the first half of the 19th century.   This occurred when Africa 

was being explored and settled by Europeans.   Some hippos and other 

animals were killed by poachers during fights in Uganda.

Where They Live

      Hippos are scarce in every location but Africa!   Pygmy hippos live in 

rain forests or in swamps.   The enormous common hippo is found mostly 

in grasslands, around rivers or lakes.

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