J'adore: the hippopotamus

One of my favourite animals is the hippopotamus, especially the pygmy hippo of West Africa. My book, Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2013), mentions the Liberian pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis). The largest hippo in my collection at home is a 250-kilogram wooden one in cherry wood.

I also love the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) that is mostly found in East Africa and South Africa. They look like pigs, but are not related to them. Their name, hippopotamus, means “river horse” but they are not related to horses either. They are related to crustaceans (whales and dolphins). Pigs, horses, whales, and humans are all mammals, but the whale and hippo are more closely related.

The hippo is semi-aquatic, living both in and around water. They are one of the largest land animals (only smaller than elephants and rhinoceroses). They have a strong bite, and can run fast over a short distance, making them an aggressive animal with a reputation for being one of the most dangerous animals in Africa.

MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).

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