Hippopotamus, (hippopotamus amphibius), amphibious african ungulate mammal Basic facts about common hippo Often considered to be the second largest land animal (after the elephant), the hippopotamus is comparable in size and weight to the white rhinoceros (ceratotherium simum) and the indian rhinoceros (rhinoceros unicornis).
Hippopotamus Head
Their name comes from the greek word for “river horse” because they're often found in water, which helps them stay cool in the hot,.
Hippos are highly social animals, particularly common hippos, which live in groups called pods or bloats
A pod can include anywhere from 10 to 30 hippos, but in some areas with large hippo populations, these groups can swell to over 100 individuals during mating season. Wildlife groups argue the u.s Fish and wildlife service to put common hippos on the endangered list to protect against u.s Hippos are the second biggest animal on land
They eat 50kg of grass every evening and excrete millions of tonnes of poo into africa’s rivers every year. Their dense bodies make it impossible for them to swim, even though they spend most of their time in the water Hippos have several adaptations that are beneficial to life in the water. Find out more about hippos in our expert guide, including species facts and where to see in the wild.
Learn all about where hippos live, what they eat, how they have adapted and more here at national geographic kids
