Hippopotamus (Tehnyt Susanne Vierimaa ja Sebastian Niskala)

Hippopotamus
”Hippo”

The hippopotamus (riverhorse) is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa.
Hippos has been added to the International union for conservation of nature and natural resources’s red list of threatened species in year 2006. The reason why is that they are threatened by habitat loss and poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth.

There are two species, or kinds, of hippopotamus: the common (river hippopotamus) and the pygmy hippopotamus which is not as endangered as the common hippo. The common hippopotamus weighs about 3 tonnes (male) and 1.5 tonnes (female). The pygmy hippopotamus is much smaller, standing at less than 1 metre high at the shoulder.
There are an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 hippos throughout Sub-Saharan Africa; Zambia (40,000) and Tanzania (20,000–30,000) possess the largest populations.
Hippopotamus is living in and around lakes. The pygmy hippo lives in forest streams.

Hippos breeding is happening when the female hippo is ready to breed she goes out to choose a mate and he must behave in a respectful manner as she enters his refuge.
One of the peculiar habit of hippo is when the male hippo uses his stumpy, flat tail as a catapult to spread the "bullshit" to mark territory and paths on land, also to intimidate opponents and impress females.

The hippopotamus is one of the largest four legged mammals. Despite its stocky shape and short legs, it can easily outrun a human. Hippos have been clocked at 30 km/h over short distances. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world and is often regarded as one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.