The Mighty Hippopotamus: Africa’s River Giant

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As the name suggests, hippos spend most of their time in water. They live in rivers and lakes; the water helps keep them cool and supports their heavy bodies. On land, they are surprisingly fast — they can reach speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour over short distances!

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00:00The Hippopotamus or Hippopotamus amphibious in scientific terms is a large semi-aquatic mammal that lives in Africa.

00:09It is the third largest land mammal after the elephant and the rhinoceros.

00:14An adult Hippopotamus can weigh up to 1.5 tons.

00:18Its thick skin is almost like armor and is usually gray or brown in color.

00:24To protect their skin from sun damage, they secrete a pink-colored, sweat-like fluid.

00:30This acts as a natural sunscreen for them.

00:34As the name suggests, Hippos spend most of their time in water.

00:38They live in rivers and lakes. The water helps keep them cool and supports their heavy bodies.

00:44On land, they are surprisingly fast. They can reach speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour over short distances.

00:53Even though they are herbivores, Hippos can be extremely aggressive.

00:59Their teeth are very large and especially the male's lower incisors can grow up to 50 centimeters long.

01:07They live in groups, usually consisting of one male and several females.

01:13At night, they leave the water to graze on grass.

01:17Hippos have been symbols of strength and wildness in many African cultures.

01:22Although they look cute, they are actually one of the most dangerous animals to humans in Africa.

01:29However, their population is under threat due to habitat loss and hunting.

01:34They are the most dangerous animals.

01:35They are hunting.

01:36They are hunting.

01:37They are hunting.

01:38They are hunting.

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