Common hippopotamus or hippopotamus. Hippopotamus is the most dangerous animal for humans

The hippopotamus is indigenous to the African continent. This mighty beast lives nowhere else. There are two types of hippos - ordinary And dwarf. The first species is also called a hippopotamus. It is known to almost everyone due to its size and appearance. When they say “hippopotamus,” they mean an ordinary one. As for the second type, it is significantly inferior both in size and in appearance.

The common hippopotamus or hippopotamus lives south of the Sahara. He lives near rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps. Craving for water element indicates the name of the animal. Hippo means horse in ancient Greek, and potamos means river. Literally it turns out to be a horse of the river. But the hippopotamus has no family ties with horses or pigs. Its closest relatives are whales.

A very long time ago, or rather 60 million years ago, the common ancestors of these mammals lived on earth. Then some of the animals went into the abyss of the water, and some remained on the earth's surface. This division occurred some 55 million years ago. Since those distant times, hippos have lived on land, and whales have lived in the seas and oceans. But the craving for aquatic environment also manifests itself in terrestrial mammals. Therefore, the hippopotamus cannot live far from rivers and lakes.

The size of the common hippopotamus is very impressive. In terms of size, this animal ranks third on the planet among terrestrial mammals. The animal is second only to the elephant and rhinoceros. But in the order of artiodactyls he has no equal. And indeed, the average weight of an adult male ranges from 1.5 to 1.8 tons. The maximum weight can reach 3.5-4 tons. Females are smaller than the stronger sex. Their weight ranges from 1.3-1.5 tons. At maximum, ladies weigh 2.9-3.3 tons. Males grow throughout their lives. Females reach their largest size at 25 years.

The average height of a hippopotamus is 1.5 meters. Mature males grow up to 1.65 meters. The body length lies in the range of 3.3-5.2 meters. The tail grows up to 50-55 cm in length. Despite such impressive dimensions, the hippopotamus runs well. It reaches a speed of 30 km/h. True, at this pace the animal can run only 500-600 meters. However, if a powerful beast is chasing a victim, then this distance is quite enough to catch up with it.

Appearance

The body structure is maximally adapted so that the animal can stay in water for a long time. The ears, nostrils and eyes of the beast are located high on the head. When immersed in river, lake water or mud, they remain on the surface. The rest of the carcass is not visible. This saves the hippopotamus from sunburn. The legs of a hippopotamus are short and powerful. They hold a heavy body perfectly. There is very little body hair. Hard vibrissae grow on the muzzle. The skin is purple-gray or blue-black. There is a pinkish-brown tint around the eyes and ears.

The jaws of a hippopotamus can open 150 degrees. In this case, the canines and lower incisors are clearly visible. The length of the fangs can reach 50 cm, and the incisors protrude from the gums to a height of 25-30 cm. The upper incisors are much shorter. Fangs grow throughout life. The weight of each of them reaches 3 kg. The longest canines known to man were 65 cm long. A hippopotamus loses its milk teeth at the age of one year. A remarkable thing about the animal is that it cannot remain without water for a long time. The skin dries out very quickly and begins to crack. Therefore, the animal always lives near water bodies, where it spends most of its life.

Reproduction and lifespan

A hippopotamus usually lives 40-50 years. In captivity, the animal lives up to 60 years. The longest-living female is Tanga. They lived in the zoo in Munich (Germany) for 61 years. The lady died in 1995. Of the living females, Donna Hippo is 60 years old. She lives at the Evansville Zoo in Indiana (USA).

Females reach sexual maturity at 5 years and are capable of reproducing offspring up to 55 years. Males become sexually mature at the age of 7-8 years. Pregnancy lasts 8 months. The next conception after childbirth occurs only after a year and a half. Hippos mate underwater. Childbirth also occurs under water. A newborn weighs 25-45 kg. Its body length is 110-130 cm and its height is 50 cm.

The born baby immediately floats to the surface and takes the first breath of air in its life. In some cases, birth takes place on land. The female prepares for them in advance and tramples the earth around. One hippopotamus is born. Twins are very rare. Milk feeding continues for almost a year. The baby suckles milk from its mother both on land and under water. At depth, he closes his nostrils and presses his ears to prevent liquid from getting into them.

Behavior and nutrition

As already mentioned, hippos spend most of their lives in water. They move away from it by a maximum of 8 km. They go to pastures, where they feed on grass for 4-5 hours. Such journeys take place at night. An animal needs 70 kg of plant food per day. Very rarely, hippos eat carrion if they come across it near water bodies. There are cases of cannibalism. But this is not typical for powerful animals, and is associated with abnormal behavior or lack of food.

Hippos trample trenches in soft soil to reach pastures. Their width corresponds to the width of the animal's body. Territoriality is very jealously maintained in the water. The dominant male usually owns a section of the coast that is 250 meters long. 10-15 females and their cubs live with him. Young males form their own groups.

Sometimes hippos unite in large herds. In this case, the aggressiveness of males towards each other sharply increases. Each of them strives for leadership. In fights, animals use fangs and incisors. In water, a hippopotamus swims at a speed of 8 km/h. Can sleep underwater. At the same time, adult animals float to the surface every 3-5 minutes, and young animals every 2-3 minutes. This happens in a dream. When diving under water, the animal closes its nostrils.

Enemies

The hippopotamus is inherently a very aggressive animal. It can also attack humans. IN wildlife He has practically no enemies. Crocodiles never attack these powerful mammals. The reason for this strange peacefulness is unknown. These days this type considered vulnerable. Over the past 15 years, its population has decreased by 10%. About 150 thousand hippos currently live in Africa. The figure is certainly ridiculous for a huge continent. Native Africans consider the hippopotamus to be a harmful and dangerous animal. In addition, it has tasty and nutritious meat. All this contributes to the fact that the animal, despite the prohibitions, is shot.

In size, the pygmy hippopotamus is significantly inferior to the hippopotamus. The weight of the animal is 180-275 kg. The height at the withers ranges from 75-85 cm. The body length reaches 150-180 cm. In captivity, the animal lives 55 years. In the wild, life expectancy is 30 years. The animal lives in the swampy and wooded areas of the western tip of Africa. These are Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire and Sierra Leone. The nostrils, ears and eyes of this species do not protrude on the head as clearly as those of hippopotamuses. Legs are longer. The color of the skin is brown or dark green. The pygmy hippopotamus spends much less time in water. The size of this population is no more than 3 thousand individuals.

This huge animal seems extremely clumsy at first glance. However, anyone who has seen a hippopotamus in the water will deny this assumption. how much does a hippopotamus weigh? In water it becomes very graceful, fast and even beautiful. What kind of animal is this, where does it live and what are its habits? The answers to these questions can be found below.

Origin

The name of the animal comes from two ancient Greek words: horse and river. It is not difficult to understand that it can be called. However, the hippopotamus has nothing in common with horses. As with the pigs with which they are often compared. His most close relative, surprisingly, a whale.

A long time ago, about 60 million years ago, the planet was inhabited by the ancestors of modern animals. At a certain point, some of them remained on land, while others sank into the water. This happened about 55 million years ago. Despite the fact that hippos chose land, life without water is unthinkable for them, and it is needed not only to quench their thirst.

Hippopotamus

In general, this mammal belongs to and belongs to the hippopotamus family. Among land animals, it is the second in mass after elephants. Males reach from 3.2 to 4.2 meters in length. How much does a hippopotamus weigh with such a body? About 1.5-3.2 tons. Females are smaller - they grow up to 2.7 meters in length, while they weigh only up to 2.5 tons.

In addition to the average, there is also a record known to man, is 4 tons. This male is a real giant. The animal's skin is very thick, up to 5 centimeters. It gathers in thick folds in the neck and chest area. The body of the hippopotamus is squat, the huge mouth has a deep cut. Newborn hippos are pink, while adults are already grayish-brown. There is no hair on the skin.

Hippos grow up to one and a half meters in height. By maturity, large specimens can reach 165 centimeters. The tail is about 50-55 cm. Despite how much the hippopotamus weighs, it runs quite fast - it can reach speeds of up to 30 km/h. Unfortunately, its dimensions do not allow it to complete marathons, but a distance of 5-6 hundred meters at such a speed is quite accessible.

The body structure of the hippopotamus is unique; it is created for a long stay in water. The eyes, ears and nostrils are set high to remain on the surface even when the entire animal is submerged in liquid. This gives the hippopotamus the opportunity to survey its surroundings while avoiding sunburn.

The jaws open at an angle of 150 degrees. In the open mouth, the animal’s remarkable teeth are clearly visible. The height of the fangs is about 50 centimeters, while the incisors rise from the gums by only 30 centimeters. The upper incisors are short, while the canines continue to grow throughout the animal's life. Each of these colossal teeth weighs up to three kilograms. Milk teeth are replaced by permanent teeth approximately every year.

Interestingly, hippos cannot live without water - their skin dries out and becomes covered with painful cracks. That is why giants try to spend as much time as possible in the water.

Enemies

Actually, considering how much a hippopotamus weighs, we can say that natural enemies he doesn't have it. Even a hungry crocodile will not attack a hippopotamus, although the reason for this is unknown - a large alligator could easily cope with a teenage hippopotamus.

The character of hippopotamuses is very aggressive. There are often cases when they attack a person - they break or overturn a boat. Despite all this, the number of the species is decreasing. Over the past 15 years alone, Africa has seen 10% fewer of these animals. Currently, there are only about 150 thousand hippos left.

Despite government bans, the animal continues to be shot to this day. There are two reasons for this. Firstly, the aborigines believe that this is a harmful and unnecessary animal that poses a danger to humans. Secondly, it has tasty and very nutritious meat. Mainly due to these reasons, hippopotamuses are becoming less and less every day.

Habitat

At the beginning of the last century, these animals were found throughout almost the entire territory of Africa: from the mouth of the Nile to Cape Town. Today, hippopotamuses are rarely seen in the eastern or central parts of the continent. However, even these encounters most often occur in national parks that protect this species of mammal.

During the daytime, animals sleep in the water. They begin searching for food when darkness comes. They return to the pond just before dawn. Each hippopotamus has a personal path along which it gets to the pasture. The weight of a hippopotamus, which averages 3 tons, is gained thanks to nutritious grass and aquatic plants.

and reproduction

The average lifespan of a hippopotamus is 40-50 years. When kept in zoos, they can live up to 60 years. Tanga lived longer than other relatives - she lived for 61 years. Currently, elderly Donna Hippo, who is 60 years old, is being held in America.

Sexual maturity occurs in females by 5 years. They can bear offspring up to 55 years. Males reach sexual maturity by 7-8 years. Gestation of the cubs lasts 8 months. The next conception is possible only after 18 months. Animals mate underwater. A small hippopotamus appears there. His birth weight is only 25 to 45 kg. A baby is born about 100 cm long and 50 cm high.

As soon as the baby is born, it floats to the surface and inhales air. On land, childbirth rarely occurs; females prepare for it in advance, trampling the earth in the supposed “maternity compartment.” Most often, one baby is born; twins are extremely rare. The cubs feed on their mother’s milk for about a year, which causes the weight of the small hippopotamus to grow very quickly, because the milk has a high fat content. When immersed in water for feeding, babies close their nostrils and press their ears tightly to their heads to avoid water getting in.

Nutrition

In search of food, animals can move away from bodies of water up to 8 kilometers. You have to spend at least 4-5 hours on the pasture to support the gigantic weight of the hippopotamus. An adult hippopotamus is capable of consuming about 70 kg of vegetation per day. In rare cases, they may eat carrion, but this only happens in conditions of food shortage.

The width of the trenches through which animals make their way to the pastures is equal to its thickness. Hippos very jealously guard their territory, even dividing water spaces. The main male has a section of the coast reaching up to 250 meters in length. Up to 15 females live with him along with their cubs. last year. Grown-up males form their own groups.

Environmental impact

Although the natives do not see any benefit in these animals, they provide significant influence on the environment of bodies of water and even on the lives of the people inhabiting this area. It has long been proven that in the reservoirs in which hippopotamuses live, phytoplankton actively multiplies, increasing biological productivity living beings. That is, the more hippos in the lake, and the more lakes in the area, so more accompanying living creatures, such as fish, can be found here. And the more of these living creatures, the more and more varied the food of people living nearby.

Pygmy hippopotamus

In addition to the usual hippopotamus, there is also this animal. This animal weighs only up to 275 kg with a height of 75-85 cm. Its length reaches 150 cm. Such an animal can live in captivity up to 55 years, while in the wild not all live up to 30. Habitat - swamps and woodlands of western Africa. The ears, nostrils and eyes do not protrude as much on the head as those of the huge brothers. The legs are noticeably longer relative to the body. The skin is dark green or brown. Dwarfs spend much less time in water. This subspecies numbers only about three thousand individuals.

Domain: Eukaryotes

Kingdom: Animals

Type: Chordata

Class: Mammals

Squad: Artiodactyls

Family: Hippopotamuses

Genus: Hippos

View: Common hippopotamus

Origin of the hippopotamus

Until 1997, scientists believed that the hippopotamus was one of the relatives of the common domestic pig, to which it belongs. This assumption was based on appearance animal, physiological characteristics skeletal structure and internal organs. An in-depth study made it possible to refute this statement. Research 10 years ago showed that hippos are closely related to whales.

Scientists use the following facts as evidence:

• hippopotamuses are inhabitants of freshwater, some species of ancient whales also lived exclusively in freshwater bodies;
• whales give birth and feed their young in the water, hippopotamuses do the same;
• whales and hippopotamuses have no hair, with the exception of rare bristles on the head and tail;
• whales communicate underwater using special sounds, hippos growl and thus communicate with each other;
• The testes of the whale and the male hippopotamus are located inside the body.

The ancestor of the pygmy mini hippopotamus appeared about 54 million years ago. The animal lived in the thicket of the tropical forest and preferred to live alone. About 2.5 million years ago, common hippopotamuses appeared - gigantic and extremely aggressive creatures that quickly spread across the planet. In ancient times, the African continent was inhabited by at least 4 various types representatives of the genus Hippopotamus, but gradually they all became extinct. As a result of studying animals, specialists arose other questions, such as: is a hippopotamus artiodactyl or not, what did ancient hippopotamuses eat in nature, how long did hippopotamuses live?

Hippopotamus or hippopotamus?

Are hippopotamus and hippopotamus the same animal, or are they two different animals? The question of how a hippopotamus and a hippopotamus differ is of concern to many generations of people, and the answer to it should be sought, first of all, in geographical and political disunity. Thus, from Greek the word “hippopotamus” is translated as “river horse.” It was the Greeks who first used this term in relation to the harsh inhabitants of Africa.

At the same time, in the Hebrew language there is the word “hippopotamus”, which was used in plural and interpreted as “animal”. This word first appeared in Russian around the second half of the 18th century.

Europeans discovered the vastness of the African continent a little earlier and named the animal they saw - hippopotamus; representatives of the Slavic world who arrived in Africa did not know that a name had already been invented for the creature they saw. Absence necessary information led to the appearance of two names for the same animal. Moreover, the word “hippopotamus” is used mainly by residents living in the CIS countries, while the term “hippopotamus” is used throughout the rest of the world. Thus, the main thing that distinguishes a hippopotamus from a hippopotamus is the spelling of the word itself; there is no difference between a hippopotamus and a hippopotamus.

Hippopotamus habitat

Hippos live in:

• Africa;
• Kenya;
• Zambia;
• Uganda, as well as other sub-Saharan countries.

The lifespan of an animal in the wild is no more than forty years, but in captivity a hippopotamus lives about fifty years. In one of the American zoos there was unique case, when a female hippopotamus lived exactly 60 years.

Description of hippos

The Latin name for hippopotamuses was borrowed from the ancient Greek language, where such animals were called “river horse.” This is what the ancient Greeks used to call giant animals that lived in fresh water bodies and were capable of making quite loud sounds, a bit like the neighing of a horse. In our country and some CIS countries, such a mammal is called a hippopotamus, but in general, hippos and hippos are the same animal.

Initially, the closest relatives of hippopotamuses included pigs, but thanks to research conducted ten years ago, the presence of closely related ties with whales was proven.

General characteristics are represented by the ability of such animals to reproduce their offspring and feed babies under water, the absence of sebaceous glands, the presence of a special system of signals used for communication, as well as the structure of the reproductive organs.

The peculiar appearance of hippos does not allow them to be confused with any other large wild animals. They have a giant barrel-shaped body and are not too much smaller in size than elephants. Hippos grow throughout their lives, and at the age of ten, males and females weigh almost the same. Only after this do males begin to increase their body weight as intensively as possible, so they very quickly become larger than females.

The massive body is located on short legs, so when walking, the animal’s abdominal area often touches the surface of the ground. The legs have four toes and a very peculiar hoof. There are membranes in the space between the toes, thanks to which the mammal is able to swim well. The tail of the common hippopotamus reaches a length of 55–56 cm, thick at the base, round, gradually tapering and becoming almost flat towards the end. Thanks to special structure tail, wild animals They spray their droppings over an impressive distance and mark their individual territory in this unusual way.

The simply enormous head of an adult hippopotamus occupies a quarter of the total mass animal and often weighs about a ton.

The front of the skull is slightly blunted, and in profile it is characterized by a rectangular shape. The animal's ears are small in size, highly mobile, the nostrils are widened, the eyes are small and buried in fairly fleshy eyelids. The ears, nostrils and eyes of a hippopotamus are characterized by a high set and location on a single line, which allows the animal to be almost completely immersed in water and still continue to look, breathe or hear. Male hippopotamuses differ from females by special pineal-shaped swellings located in the lateral part, next to the nostrils. These swellings represent the bases of large fangs. Among other things, females are somewhat smaller than males.

The muzzle of the hippopotamus is wide, dotted with short and very hard vibrissae in front. When the mouth opens, an angle of 150° is formed, and the width of the fairly powerful jaws is on average 60-70 cm. Ordinary hippopotamuses have 36 teeth, which are covered with yellow enamel.

On each jaw there are six molars, six premolars, as well as a pair of canines and four incisors. Males have especially developed sharp fangs, which are distinguished by a sickle shape and a longitudinal groove located on the lower jaw. With age, the canines gradually bend backwards. Some hippos have fangs that reach a length of 58-60 cm and weigh up to 3.0 kg.

Hippos are extremely thick-skinned animals, but at the base of the tail the skin is quite thin. The dorsal area is gray or greyish-brown, and pink is present on the belly, ears and around the eyes. There is almost no hair on the skin, with the exception of short bristles located on the ears and the tip of the tail.

Adult hippos take only about five breaths per minute, thanks to which they are able to dive, remaining without air under water for up to ten minutes.

Very sparse hairs grow on the sides and belly. The hippopotamus does not have sweat and sebaceous glands, but there are special skin glands that are characteristic only of such animals. On hot days, the skin of the mammal is covered with a red mucous secretion, which serves as protection and antiseptic, and also repels bloodsuckers.

Types of hippos

From now existing species Only 2 species of hippopotamus have been identified (the remaining species are extinct):

• Common hippopotamus or hippopotamus (lat. Hippopotamus amphibius). Belongs to the genus hippopotamus. The length of an ordinary hippopotamus is at least 3 meters, some hippopotamuses grow up to 5.4 m in length. The height at the shoulders can reach 1.65 m. Average weight The hippopotamus weighs about 3 tons, the weight of individual specimens can reach up to 4.5 tons. The difference in weight between males and females is about 10%.

• Pygmy hippopotamus, aka Liberian pygmy hippopotamus or dwarf hippopotamus (lat. Hexaprotodon liberiensis, Choeropsis liberiensis). It belongs to the genus of pygmy hippopotamuses and is also called mwe-mwe or nigbwe. The pygmy hippopotamus is similar in appearance to the common one, but differs in longer limbs, a pronounced neck, a smaller skull and one pair of incisors in the mouth (the common one has 2 pairs). The back has a slight forward slope, and the nostrils are not raised so much. Pygmy hippopotamuses grow in length up to 150-177 cm and have a height of up to 75-83 cm. The pygmy hippopotamus weighs 180-225 kg. The protective secretion on the surface of the body is different pink. In their homeland, pygmy hippos are under threat due to poaching, deforestation and military operations in the habitat of these hippos.

Hippo behavior

Hippos live near the shores of fresh water bodies. It could be like big rivers or lakes, and small mud lakes. The main requirements for it are that it can accommodate the entire herd and not dry out all year. In addition, it is important for the animal to have a grassy lowland for grazing next to a pond. If conditions worsen, hippos are capable of migrating to another body of water, but long-distance overland travel is not typical for them.

The life of a hippopotamus has a clear daily rhythm. During the day, the animals are in the water, where they sleep with their heads out, and graze at night.

Adult males, who do not have their own harem, live alone and often fight for territory. Such fights are long and brutal; animals are capable of inflicting serious injuries on each other, including fatal outcome. Hippos behave especially aggressively on the shore. They do not like their neighbors and drive away all strangers, including even rhinoceroses and elephants. The length of an adult male's range is 50-100 meters on the river and 250-500 meters on the lake.

When an animal leaves the water and goes to feed, it uses the same individual path. In soft soil, such trails become wide and deep ditches, prominent features of the landscape. The animal moves on land in steps. Maximum speed up to 30 km/h.

In addition to single males, hippos form herds of 20-30 individuals, and young, immature males stay in bachelor groups.

Communication between hippos

The exchange of vocal and other communication signals is important in the life of hippopotamuses, allowing, for example, to identify each other. Hippopotamuses have a fairly developed system of vocal communication - there are various signals expressing danger, aggression, etc. In general, the voice of a hippopotamus is not very diverse - it is either a roar or a grunt. The roar of a hippopotamus is one of the most characteristic and recognizable sounds of African wildlife.

Communication with relatives occurs with the help of short uterine roaring sounds. During the mating period, the female, attracting the male, emits a loud moo. The hippopotamus can also make a sound similar to a horse's neigh, which may have given it its name in Greek, "river horse." The animal also often snorts and noisily releases air from its nostrils, which is usually a sign of irritation and aggressive intentions, but it can also be an alarm signal (for example, when predators are approaching).

Of particular importance is the spraying of excrement and urine by hippopotamuses. The male constantly, making quick propeller-like rotational movements with his tail, sprays droppings, both on land and in water. At the same time, pieces of droppings fly very far to the sides, even flying into the crowns of trees, which many observers of the 19th century noticed with surprise.

This is probably of primary importance as a communication signal, and only secondarily as a way of marking territory. The female sprays droppings much less often. The hippopotamus's habit of splashing droppings makes keeping it in the zoo very troublesome - keepers are forced to wash the walls of the premises several times a day, which the animal constantly stains with manure. Males mark their individual areas with piles of excrement that reach considerable sizes - up to 1 m in height and 2 m in diameter. These heaps are updated daily. The male marks his trails in the same way. The piles of droppings left by the hippopotamus within its habitat probably also serve as a guide for it.

What does a hippopotamus eat?

The hippopotamus is a herbivore, but can also eat meat. The main food is terrestrial and semi-aquatic grass. Does not consume aquatic vegetation as food. He plucks the grass with his thick lips. The huge (60 meters long) intestines allow for better digestion and absorption of food.

There are known cases of attacks on other animals. Victims can include gazelles, antelopes, cows, and most often carrion and wounded animals. Hippos can eat their dead relatives.

Reproduction

Hippos are polygamous animals, meaning that one male can mate with several females in one social group. Although the reproduction of these mammals is not strictly seasonal, it usually occurs during the dry season, from February to August, and the birth of cubs occurs during the rainy season, from October to April.

When searching for a mate, the dominant male wanders around resting areas or pastures and sniffs the tail of each female. The male behaves unusually submissively towards the female in order to avoid attack by the herd. The goal of a respectful male is to find a female ready to mate. After the male finds the desired female, courtship begins.

He teases his chosen one, thereby luring her out of the herd. He then pursues her for more deep waters, until she gets angry and clashes her jaws with him. The male subjugates the female and the process of copulation occurs, while her head is under water. It is not clear why, but her head should be under water.

If the female tries to raise her head to breathe in air, the male, as a rule, forces her to lower her head down. During mating, males make a hoarse signal sound, which indicates success. Although they can copulate year-round, the most common period is from February to August. Gestation lasts almost a year, 324 days, and one calf is born. It is not weaned from mother's milk for about a year, and maturity occurs at 3.5 years. Before giving birth, pregnant females become very aggressive and defend themselves against anyone who comes across her.

They isolate themselves on land or in shallow water and return to the herd 2 weeks after giving birth. At birth, the cubs weigh from 22 to 55 kg. Mother and calf have a close bond. They wash each other and hug each other, presumably showing affection for each other. Cubs are adapted to feed on mother's milk underwater: the ears and nostrils close at the moment of sucking, when the mother's nipple is between the tongue and the upper jaw. Because hippos live in a social family, males are very protective of females and babies, and will often attack anything that poses a threat to them.

Natural enemies of the hippopotamus

Hippopotamuses do not have many natural enemies. Lions are dangerous for them and Nile crocodiles. But even for these predators, adult males are difficult prey, since they are large, strong and armed with long fangs. When females protect their cubs, they also become very fierce and strong. If babies are left unattended, they are attacked by hyenas, leopards and hyena dogs. In addition, cubs can be accidentally trampled by adult members of the herd.

First of all, humans have a negative effect on the condition of the hippopotamus population. Its numbers are steadily declining due to poaching for meat and bones, as well as due to destruction natural environment animal habitats. The last factor is associated with the growth of the population of Africa, and the corresponding occupation of new lands for agricultural needs; in this case, it is often the coastal lands where hippos live and feed that are plowed. Irrigation, construction of dams and changes in river flows also negatively affect the population of this species.

Hippopotamus and man

Hippo hunting has a long tradition in Africa, partly due to their delicious meat, because of a hippopotamus bone, or simply for fun, as was practiced by European colonists.

Contrary to popular belief, the hippopotamus is not a particularly peaceful animal. In Africa it is the cause more deaths than any other large animal, including crocodiles or lions. When attacking a person, it uses its head as a battering ram. Its fangs, reaching a length of 50 cm, are very dangerous. The hippopotamus is not afraid to attack boats and is able to overturn not too large of them.

Over the past 10 years, the hippo population has decreased by 7-20%. It has been recorded that between 125,000 and 148,000 individuals remain in the 29 countries within its geographic range. Although poaching is illegal, it remains the leading cause of death for these animals. The hippos that inhabit unprotected lands suffer the most from poaching. Habitat loss is another factor in the decline of hippopotamus populations. Hippos depend on freshwater bodies, which makes them vulnerable to drought, agricultural and industrial production, as well as changing the route of natural water flows.

There are measures to preserve the hippopotamus population aimed at protecting natural places habitat. Countries where there is a high population of hippopotamuses have strict regulations prohibiting hunting. Habitats of hippopotamuses, namely national parks, nature reserves, museum reserves are under careful protection.

The hippopotamus, or hippopotamus, as it is called, is a large creature. Its weight can exceed 4 tons, so hippopotamuses are considered the largest animals on earth. True, they have serious competition.

Scientists reported stunning news about this interesting animal. For a long time it was believed that the hippopotamus is related. And this is not surprising, they are somewhat similar. But it turned out (the latest discoveries of scientists) that the closest relative should be considered... !

In general, hippos can be of different fatness. Some individuals weigh only 1300 kg, but this is not a small weight. The body length can reach 4.5 meters, and the height at the withers of an adult male reaches 165 cm. The dimensions are impressive.

Despite their apparent clumsiness, hippos can develop quite high speeds both in water and on land. The skin color of this animal is gray with shades of purple or green.

While hippos can easily outshine any animal other than an elephant in terms of mass, they are not at all rich in hair. Fine hairs are rarely scattered throughout the body, and the head is completely hairless. And the skin itself is very thin, so it is too vulnerable during serious fights between males.

But hippos never sweat, they simply do not have sweat glands, and there are no sebaceous glands either. But their mucous glands can secrete an oily liquid that protects the skin from aggressive sun rays, and from harmful bacteria.

Hippos are now found in Africa, although previously they were much more widespread. But they were very often killed for their meat, so in many places it is animal was mercilessly exterminated.

The character and lifestyle of a hippopotamus

Hippos cannot live alone, they are not so comfortable. They live in groups of 20-100 individuals. Such a herd can bask in a pond all day, and only at dusk do they go for food.

By the way, it is the females who are responsible for the calm of the entire livestock during rest. But males ensure the safety of females and cubs near the shores. Males hippos - animals very aggressive.

As soon as the male turns 7 years old, he begins to achieve the highest position in society. He does this in different ways - it can be spraying other males with urine and manure, roaring, yawning with all his mouth.

This is how they try to dominate. However, it is extremely rare for young hippos to gain power; adult males do not tolerate familiarity in the form of challenges and are too determined to injure or even kill a young rival.

Males also guard their own territory very jealously. Even when hippos do not see potential invaders, they diligently mark their possessions.

By the way, they also mark those territories where they feed, as well as where they rest. To do this, they are not even lazy to get out of the water in order to once again remind other males who is boss here, or to seize new territories.

In order to communicate with fellow tribesmen, hippos use certain sounds. For example, an animal underwater will always warn its relatives about the danger. The sound they make is like thunder. The hippopotamus is the only animal that can communicate with its relatives in water using sounds.

Sounds travel well both in water and on land. By the way, very interesting fact - hippo can communicate with sounds even when only its nostrils are on the surface of the water.

In general, the head of a hippopotamus on the surface of the water is very attractive to. It happens that birds use the powerful head of a hippopotamus as an island for fishing.

However, from such an attitude towards birds one should not at all conclude that these fatties are good-natured cuties. Hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals on earth. Its fangs reach up to half a meter in size, and with these fangs it bites through a huge one in the blink of an eye.

But an angry beast can kill its prey in different ways. Anyone who irritates this animal, the hippopotamus can bite, trample, tear with fangs or drag into the depths of the water.

And no one knows when this irritation can be caused. There is a statement that hippos are the most unpredictable companions. Adult males and females are especially dangerous when there are cubs near them.

Nutrition

Despite its power, intimidating appearance and aggressiveness, hippopotamus is a herbivore. At dusk, the animals go to pasture, where there is enough grass to feed the entire herd.

Hippos have no enemies in the wild, however, they prefer to graze near a body of water, they feel calmer this way. And yet, if there is not enough grass, they can move many kilometers away from a cozy place.

In order to feed themselves, hippos have to chew continuously for 4-5 hours every day, or rather, every night. They need a lot of grass, approximately 40 kg per feeding.

All herbs are eaten, including reeds and young shoots of bushes and trees. It does happen, however, that a hippopotamus eats carrion near a pond. But this phenomenon is too rare and not normal.

Most likely, eating carrion is the result of some kind of health disorder or deficiency of basic nutrition, because the digestive system of these animals is not adapted for processing meat.

It is interesting that hippos do not chew grass, like, for example, other ruminants; they tear the greens with their teeth, or pull them with their lips. Fleshy, muscular lips, the size of which reaches half a meter, are perfect for this. It is difficult to imagine what kind of vegetation there must be to injure such lips.

Hippos always go out to pasture in the same place and return before dawn. It happens that an animal wanders too far in search of food. Then, upon returning, the hippopotamus can wander into someone else’s pond in order to gain strength, and then continues on its way to its own pool.

Reproduction and lifespan

The hippopotamus is not known for its devotion to its partner. Yes, this is not required of him - there will always be several females in the herd who desperately need to “get married.”

The male looks for his chosen one carefully, sniffs each female for a long time, looking for the one who is ready for a “romantic meeting.” At the same time, it behaves quieter than water, lower than the grass. At this time, he doesn’t need anyone from the herd to start sorting things out with him, he has other plans.

As soon as the female is ready to mate, the male begins to show his affection to her. First, the “young lady” should be taken away from the herd, so the hippopotamus teases her and drags her into the water, where it is deep enough.

Eventually, the male's advances become so intrusive that the female tries to drive him away with her jaws. And here the male shows his strength and cunning - he achieves the desired process.

At the same time, the lady’s position is quite uncomfortable - after all, her head should not protrude from the water. Moreover, the male does not allow his “beloved” to even take a breath of air. Why this happens has not yet been clarified, but there is an assumption that in this state the female is more exhausted and, therefore, more docile.

After this, 320 days pass, and little cub. Before the baby arrives, the mother becomes especially aggressive. She does not allow anyone near her, and in order not to harm herself or the baby in the womb, expectant mother leaves the herd and looks for a shallow pool. She will return to the herd only after the baby is 10-14 days old.

The newborn is too small, his weight reaches only 22 kg, but his mother takes care of him so carefully that he does not feel insecurity. By the way, in vain, because there are often cases when those predators who do not risk attacking adult hippopotamuses try to feast on such babies. Therefore, the mother strictly monitors every step of her cub.

Pictured is a baby hippopotamus

However, after returning to the herd, the males of the herd take care of the female and her cub. The mother will feed the baby milk for a whole year, and after that she weans him from such nutrition. But this does not mean that the calf is already fully grown. He becomes truly independent only at 3.5 years old, when he reaches sexual maturity.

In the wild, these amazing animals live only up to 40 years. It is interesting that there is a direct connection between the wear of molars and life expectancy - as soon as the teeth are worn out, the life of a hippopotamus is sharply shortened. In artificially created conditions, hippos can live up to 50 and even 60 years.

Hippopotamus- a large herbivorous mammal that spends most of its time in water. Animals live in fresh water bodies; only occasionally hippos can be found in salty sea water.

Another name for hippopotamus is hippopotamus. Animals, along with, occupy second place after in weight: some individuals can reach 4 tons or more.

Currently hippos: cold or tropical climate the hippopotamus will not survive.

This report is devoted to a description of hippopotamuses, their way of life and behavioral characteristics.

Appearance

At the beginning of the message it was already mentioned that hippos are one of the largest land animals. Usually their weight is 2-3 tons, but can exceed 4 tons. Moreover, the length of adult hippos can be more than 5 meters! The hippo's tail alone is almost 60 cm long.

Hippos have a characteristic appearance: a very wide muzzle with small eyes and ears, as well as big nostrils, barrel-shaped body and very short legs. The skin of hippopotamuses is very thick, grayish-brown, without hair.

Hippopotamus habitats

Hippos vitally need water, in which they spend most of their time. daylight hours, so animals settle where there is fresh water. The desert is not suitable for hippos or rain-forest, For example. Hippos live in the savannah. If living conditions deteriorate (it happens that reservoirs dry up), hippos leave in search of a new shelter.

Occasionally it happens that a hippopotamus swims a considerable distance and ends up in salty sea water. But still, this happens quite rarely, since the hippopotamus feels most comfortable in a body of fresh water.

Lifestyle

Usually hippos live in groups of 2-3 dozen individuals. Sometimes there are many more animals in the herd. During the day, hippos lie in the water. In this case, only part of the face and back is visible. Hippos can swim or walk along the bottom of a reservoir. Animals can hold their breath for quite a long time - sometimes up to 10 minutes.

Hippos are herbivores, but they do not like aquatic plants and feed on land mainly at night.

A hippopotamus can live for about 40 years, and in captivity or a zoo - more than 50 years. Among hippopotamuses, just like among people, there are long-livers: science knows of a case where a female hippopotamus lived for 60 years.

Danger to humans

Hippos are very aggressive animals, as evidenced by constant fights between males. You can often hear a message that a hippopotamus attacked a person. According to statistics, hippos attack people even more often than lions and other predators.

Hippo hunting

Residents of the African continent hunt hippos for their meat, skin and teeth. Of particular value are hippopotamus teeth, which are called hippopotamus bones. Africans make souvenirs from the teeth of animals, which are very expensive and highly valued.

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