Did you know that hippopotamuses are the closest relatives of whales (and not pigs)? This is just one of the many curiosities about hippos that often surprise people due to the general lack of knowledge about these spectacular herbivorous mammals. Luckily, this is not the only fact we want to bring you today in this new blog post.
The first thing that impresses when we encounter an amphibious Hippopotamus is its size. In fact, we are facing the third largest and heaviest land mammal on the planet. Can you name the other two? Yes. They are two other species you can find on a safari with Enkewa Camp: elephants and rhinoceroses.
Moreover, hippopotamuses are considered semi-aquatic, as they are perfectly adapted to both terrestrial and aquatic environments. For this reason, it is very common to find them in mangroves, rivers, and lakes, especially during the hot summer months. It is their way of staying cool. But water also plays an important role in the survival of the species, as these mammals reproduce and give birth to their young in the water.
Another interesting fact about hippopotamuses that you should know is that they usually leave the water almost exclusively to graze on grass alone, although within the water they do gather in groups, especially among family members.
Facts and Curiosities About Hippopotamuses That You’ll Find Interesting
Aside from the facts we’ve already mentioned, here are some others that help to get to know these animals more in-depth:
- They have no hair
- Despite their size, they are surprisingly fast (faster than humans) and can become very aggressive.
- Their average lifespan is 40 to 50 years. The oldest hippo in the world lived to be 60 in a zoo in Indiana (USA).
- Their weight ranges from 1,500 to 1,800 kilograms, with males being slightly heavier. Their length ranges from 3.3 to 5.2 meters. Their tail extends about 56 centimeters.
- Although they spend a large part of the day in the water, they are not considered great swimmers.
- Their skin thickness is 15 centimeters, which provides them with great protection against predators.
- Hippos don’t sweat, but they exude a red-colored oil that protects them. This leads to the false belief that they sweat blood.
- They can stay underwater for up to five minutes.
- If they break a tooth or tusk, it will grow back, as their teeth grow throughout their lives.
- It’s not uncommon to see small birds on their backs removing insects from their skin.
