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More About Hippopotamuses ...
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The Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is a large, plant-eating African mammal, one of only two in the family Hippopotamidae. (The other is the Pygmy Hippopotamus.)
Hippopotamuses ('hippopotami' is also accepted as a plural form by the OED), also called hippos, are gregarious, living in groups of up to 20 animals. They spend most of the day up to their nostrils in the waters of tropical rivers, as their skin transpires much more moisture than most animals and they are extremely susceptible to sunburn. They can close their nostrils and remain completely submerged for more than ten minutes. They are buoyant and very skilled and graceful in water. They feed on land mostly at night, consuming as much as 50 kg (approximately 120 pounds) of vegetation a day.
Despite the popular image of the animal being easygoing and peaceful, the hippopotamus is actually one of the most dangerous African animals, said to account for more human deaths than any other mammal. Its canine teeth are 50 cm (20 inches) long, and it uses its head as a battering ram. The animals stand 1.5 metres tall (5 feet) at the shoulder and weigh between 2,700 and 4,500 kg (6000-9900 lbs). They are approximately the same size as the Black Rhinoceros; one or the other is the next-largest land animal after the three species of elephants.
The word hippopotamus comes, by way of Latin, from the ancient Greek ?pp?? p?ta΅?? (hippos potamos), which means river horse.
A dwarf species, Phanourios minutis, existed on the island of Cyprus but became extinct at the end of the Pleistocene. Whether this was caused by human intervention is debated (see Aetokremnos).
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Taxonmony
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Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Hippopotamidae
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Source: Wikipedia Read more about Hippopotamuses
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INFO LINKS
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Hippopotamus
PBS
About Hippopotamus. Kid friendly site. "The Hippopotamus, whose name means "river horse", is a plant-eating water-loving giant". Read More
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Hippopotamus
National Geographic
Hippopotamus fact sheet and pictures; audio clip Read More
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Hippopotumus
Honolulu Zoo
Categorized information on diet, habitat, behavior, diet, reproduction and growth, etc. "The adult hippo's only real enemy (other than man) is his pool mate. They bite, maim, and kill each other". Read More
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Hippopotamus
SafariCamLive.com - African Wildlife to the World
"They are found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Botswana and in Northern Namibia". Brief categorized information on habits, distribution, diet, etc. Read More
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Hippopotamus
theBigZoo.com
Find out how a hippo can stay in water for a long time. "A hippopotamus can stay underwater for about 15 minutes". Categorized information on habitat, predator, social structure, etc. Read More
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Pygmy Hippopotamus
Animals Of The Rainforest
"They are much smaller than the common Nile hippopotamus which can weigh over 4,000 pounds".Brief description, taxonomic information, pictures, and links Read More
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Hippopotamus
African Wildlife Foundation
Detailed fact sheet Read More
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Pygmy Hippopotamus
National Zoo
Pygmy Hippopotamus fact sheet Read More
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Nile Hippopotamus
National Zoo
Nile Hippopotamus fact sheet Read More
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East African Hippopotamus
Kenya Beasts
Pictures of East African Hippopotamus Read More
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Hippopotamus
National Geographic - Creature Feature Archive
Hippopotamus fun facts. "The group of hippos is led by one large male". Kid friendly site. Read More
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Hippopotamus
SafariCamLive.com - African Wildlife to the World
Hippo Images Read More
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Hippopotamus
Sedgwick County Zoo
Hippopotamus fact sheet Read More
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