Hippopotamus, or Hippo as it is commonly called are another fascinating animal that we got to see in Tanzania. They are semi aquatic mammals that are native to the sub-Saharan African region. They are really huge and are the third largest land animals after elephant and white rhinos. In spite of their size, hippos can run at a rate of 30 km/h.
Hippos spent most of their time in water bodies like rivers, lakes or mangroves. Although Hippos have extremely thick skin, they are sensitive and can easily burn or dry out in the extreme African sun. So, they spend most of their day in the water or mud to keep cool, wet, and protect their delicate skin.
Hippos are also called ‘river horse’ as they can hold their breath for 5 minutes and spend this time walking around the riverbeds and lakebeds. Usually after sunset, hippos come out of the water or mud and graze on the grasslands. Hippos and herbivores animals and get their nourishment from plants. It is estimated that on an average, hippos eat around 80 pounds of grass each night.
Hippos live in sub-Saharan Africa, where the sun’s UV rays are incredibly strong. Hippos have adapted an ability to produce a red, oily liquid which acts as a natural sunblock.
The gestation period for a hippo is around 8 months. When the time comes for her to give birth, the female withdraws from the group for one or two weeks in order to give birth and form a bond with her child. She feels at ease giving birth either on land or in the water. The mother must force the newborn to the surface so it may breathe if it is born underwater.
Fun fact - Hippos can differentiate between friend or foe by smelling the poop or dung. Hippos can sniff the outdoor areas where they poop and find out who’s been there and if they’re considered friends. Another interesting fact about hippos is that their enormous size facilitates the creation of micro habitats for small organisms.
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