There’s nothing frequent concerning the frequent hippo. But, in comparison with elephants, rhinos and the massive cats of Africa, they’re typically underappreciated. It is a disgrace, contemplating their declining numbers and the vital function they play in creating and sustaining wholesome ecosystems.
Though hippos are among the many largest terrestrial vertebrates on the earth (smaller solely than elephants and a few rhinos) and are distributed extensively throughout sub-Saharan Africa, they continue to be largely cloaked in thriller. Maybe it’s because they spend most of their lives submerged and peering from the surfaces of murky ponds and waterways, usually solely rising below the quilt of darkness.
> Africa Wildlife Information: Hippo
A hippopotamus opens huge for the digital camera. © Melissa Scott
Sadly, hippos have been eradicated from most of their historic African vary, although wholesome populations can nonetheless be present in protected areas, particularly in Tanzania and Zambia.
Within the curiosity of shedding a little bit mild on this enigmatic creature, listed below are a number of fascinating hippo information to contemplate while you encounter a pod (one of many names for a bunch of hippos, in addition to “herd,” “college,” “siege” and—our favourite—”bloat”) in your subsequent African safari:
1. Hippos are surprisingly harmful.
The world in purple is the hippo’s historic vary. The areas in inexperienced are the place hippos may be discovered right now.
Based on the African Wildlife Basis, hippos kill round 3,000 individuals yearly. To place that in perspective, lions kill about 70 individuals per 12 months on common, and final 12 months there have been fewer than 500 deadly shark assaults worldwide.
Hippo assaults can happen in water or on land, usually with out apparent provocation. Nonetheless, not surprisingly, people are much more harmful to hippos than they’re to us. Hippos are listed as a weak species by the Worldwide Union for the Conservation Nature. Threats comparable to unlawful looking for their meat and ivory and habitat loss, exacerbated by drought, have led to steep declines in hippo numbers lately, particularly in areas of political and financial instability.
> Study extra about hippo conservation from our accomplice, World Wildlife Fund.
2. Hippos are LOUD.
Based on the San Diego Zoo, hippo grunts have been recorded at 115 decibels. That is similar to the sound of sandblasting or the quantity of a rock live performance while you’re standing about 15 ft from the audio system! Along with simply being loud, they make some fascinating sounds, together with groans, grunts, squeals, thundering bellows and wheezy respiration sounds.
3. Hippos can run sooner and stroll farther than you would possibly anticipate.
Given their quick, stubby legs and distinctive girth, it appears exceptional that hippos have been clocked operating on land at 18 miles an hour over quick distances! This may additionally stroll a median of six miles per evening searching for meals.
4. Hippos sleep underwater.
Hippos spend about 16 hours a day within the water. Whereas awake, they will maintain their breath for as much as 5 minutes. After they sleep within the water, they floor routinely and breathe with out waking up.
Hippos can’t survive for lengthy out of water, as a result of their pores and skin is extraordinarily delicate to direct daylight. Because of this they secrete a purple, oily substance—as soon as regarded as blood—that serves as each a sunscreen and an antibiotic. Fairly nifty!
5. Hippos’ closest dwelling kin are whales.
Till comparatively not too long ago, scientists believed, primarily based on the fossil document, that the hippo’s closest dwelling kin had been pigs. However extra latest DNA proof signifies that hippos are extra carefully associated to cetaceans (the household that features whales, dolphins and porpoises). In truth, hippos and whales shared a standard ancestor as not too long ago as 55 million years in the past.
6. Hippos are vital to wholesome ecosystems.
Hippos are ecosystem engineers. Due to their large dimension, they create new paths and channels as they transfer by means of the water and between water and land. Water flows by means of these channels in the course of the moist season, which creates new habitat and shelter for birds, bugs, and different species. Within the dry season, the lagoons left behind present a protected haven for small fish and different creatures.
Hippos are additionally vital to the well being of wetland ecosystems due to the function they play in fertilizing the water by means of defecation (i.e. pooping). Thanks, hippos!
See hippos, elephants, rhinos and extra iconic wildlife on our eco-friendly African safaris!
