Hippopotamus - Hippopotamus amphibius
Welgevonden has about 4 hippos but we only ever saw two and they didn't move very much. They were often in the same position that they were when we last saw them. We started to joke that these were inflatable hippos and not real.
Did You Know?
The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse, is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae (the other is the pygmy hippopotamus). After the elephant and rhinocerous, the hippopotamus is the third largest and heaviest type of land mammal, weighing between 3,300 and 4,000 lbs (1½ to 3½) tonnes ( elephants, typically weighing 10,360–13,330 lbs or 3 to 9 tonnes). Despite their physical resemblance to the pigs, their closest living relatives are cetaceans (whales, porpoises etc.) from which they diverged about 55 million years ago.
The lower canines and lower incisors are enlarged, especially in males, and grow continuously. The incisors can reach 1.3 ft, while the canines reach up to 1.6 ft. The canines and incisors are used for combat and play no role in feeding. Hippos rely on their broad horny lips to grasp and pull grasses which are then ground by the molars. They can easily outrun a human and have been clocked at 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances. The skin is 15 cm (6 in) thick, and their lifespan is typically 40–50 years. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and, as such, ranks among the most dangerous animals in Africa.
The lower canines and lower incisors are enlarged, especially in males, and grow continuously. The incisors can reach 1.3 ft, while the canines reach up to 1.6 ft. The canines and incisors are used for combat and play no role in feeding. Hippos rely on their broad horny lips to grasp and pull grasses which are then ground by the molars. They can easily outrun a human and have been clocked at 30 km/h (19 mph) over short distances. The skin is 15 cm (6 in) thick, and their lifespan is typically 40–50 years. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and, as such, ranks among the most dangerous animals in Africa.