Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus

Hippopotamuses love water, which is why the Greeks named them the "river horse." Hippos spend up to 16 hours a day submerged in rivers and lakes to keep their massive bodies cool under the hot African sun. Hippos are graceful in water, good swimmers, and can hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes. However, they are often large enough to simply walk or stand on the lake floor, or lie in the shallows. Their eyes and nostrils are located high on their heads, which allows them to see and breathe while mostly submerged.

Hippos also bask on the shoreline and secrete an oily red substance, which gave rise to the myth that they sweat blood. The liquid is actually a skin moistener and sunblock that may also provide protection against germs.At sunset, hippopotamuses leave the water and travel overland to graze. They may travel 6 miles (10 kilometers) in a night, along single-file pathways, to consume some 80 pounds (35 kilograms) of grass. Considering their enormous size, a hippo's food intake is relatively low. If threatened on land hippos may run for the water—they can match a human's speed for short distances.

Hippo calves weigh nearly 100 pounds (45 kilograms) at birth and can suckle on land or underwater by closing their ears and nostrils. Each female has only one calf every two years. Soon after birth, mother and young join schools that provide some protection against crocodiles, lions, and hyenas.
Hippos once had a broader distribution but now live in eastern central and southern sub-Saharan Africa, where their populations are in decline.

Scientific Name:Hippopotamus amphibius

Weight: up to 3 1/2 tons

Size: 13 feet long, 5 feet tall

Lifespan: 50 years

Diet: Herbivore

Predators: Human, crocodile, lion

Hippo Fun Facts 

Hippo is really a short name for Hippopotamus.

A group of hippos is called a school.

A hippo's lifespan in the wild is about 40 years.

A hippo's weight can be 5,000-8,000 pounds.

Since hippos love the water the Greeks named them the "river horse".

A baby hippo is called a calf.

A calf (a baby hippo) can weigh 100 pounds.

A hippo has tiny legs even with it's huge body.

A hippo can run really fast on land.

Even though hippos love water and spend a lot of their time in it, they are very bad swimmers.