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Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

Hippopotamus with its head peeking out of the water at Copenhagen Zoo

AFRICA'S WATERHOLE GIANT

The hippopotamus is incredibly easy to recognize. It is powerful and robustly built with a long body and short legs. And it has a large head with a huge mouth that can be opened up to 150 degrees. In its mouth are long, tusked canines and incisors, which are used, among other things, when hippos fight each other. And just to make it clear: It is a fight you do not want to end up in the middle of!

The hippopotamus spends the daytime relaxing in the waterholes, rivers and swamps of the savannah. That is why both ears, nostrils and eyes are located high on its head, so that it can always keep its sensory organs above water. When the hippopotamus wants to dive below the water surface, it can close both ears and nostrils and hold its breath for up to 30 minutes. In fact, it can also sleep underwater. Here it automatically swims to the surface every 5-10 minutes to breathe.

Although the hippo loves water and spends most of the day in the muddy surroundings, it is not a very good swimmer. Instead, it walks or runs on the bottom when moving from one part of the waterhole to another. When moving, however, it must be careful not to step on the toes of other hippos. Hippos do not mind being very close together – and especially during the dry season, space can become cramped when hundreds of hippos gather to relax in the same place. Just the thought can make us humans a little claustrophobic.

Hippos most often live in herds, which mainly consist of females and their young within one of their territorial areas. However, it is still the females who decide whether and when the male is allowed to approach. When the male succeeds in charming a female, the hippos mate in the water. A mating session lasts about 30 minutes. Eight months after successful mating, the female gives birth to a young one. The calf nurses with its mother for about seven months, after which it begins to develop teeth and eat grass – the hippo’s primary food source. The calf often stays with its mother until it is about five years old.

QUICK FACTS ABOUT THE HIPPOPOTAMUS

Gestation
8 months
Habitat
Africa, savannah
Diet
Grass, leaves and branches
Lifespan
40-45 years
Weight
1.000-4.500 kg
Lenght
290-500 cm

WEBBED FEET

We have previously stated that the hippopotamus is not a world champion swimmer. Yet it has webbed feet between its toes. It may sound strange, but the explanation lies in the hippopotamus' heavy weight. Instead of swimming fast, it uses its webbed feet to create stability and propulsion on the slippery bottoms of water holes.

Hippo calf in the water at Copenhagen Zoo

COMMUNICATING UNDERWATER

The hippopotamus is able to communicate both above and below water. The ability to communicate underwater is particularly useful because visibility is often limited in muddy water.

Hippopotamus underwater at Copenhagen Zoo

PRODUCING OWN SKIN CREAM

The hippopotamus' outer skin is thin and sensitive to drying out and insect bites. However, the skin contains special mucous glands that produce a viscous fluid whose function is to keep the skin moist when it is in contact with the air. The fluid is reddish in color – which is why it almost looks like the hippopotamus is sweating blood, although this is not the case.

A hippo calf and its mother at Copenhagen Zoo

SAVANNAH FERTILIZER SPREADER

The hippopotamus is an efficient manure spreader. When it swings its tail vigorously from side to side during defecation, the feces are spread over a larger area. This provides, among other things, nutrition and energy to the many plants of the savannah. This form of dung spreading is also used by males when marking their territories.

Hippo bum with poop at Copenhagen Zoo

AFRICA'S MOST DANGEROUS ANIMAL?

The hippopotamus is known for its powerful bite and aggressive temperament. In fact, it is considered perhaps the most dangerous animal in Africa. A hippopotamus on land can run at a speed of 30 km/h, and its powerful jaws can easily injure an enemy. An adult hippopotamus thus has few natural predators. Crocodiles, leopards and hyenas do not dare to approach, and lions only rarely do so. In fact, humans are the hippopotamus' only real threat.

Hippopotamus at the water's edge in Copenhagen Zoo

STATUS IN NATURE

The hippopotamus is vulnerable.

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    GET VERY CLOSE TO THE HIPPOPOTAMUS

    Do you want to get up close to the hippopotamus? With our Close encounters with the hippopotamus' experience, you can go behind the scenes and help feed the large animal, among other things.

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