Habits
The hippopotamus usually lives in groups of 15 to 20 animals, although some groups can be much larger. The hub of the group is the band of females and their young. This group lives on territory patrolled by a dominant, solitary male who is atleast 20 years old. A dominant male is able to defend his territory for as long as 10 years, until a fierce fight with a younger rival male may end his dominance-and even result in his death. Young males who do not have their own groups form small bachelor groups. If a male successfully challenges a rival, he leaves the bachelor group and becomes the dominant male in his new territory.
Food and Feeding
The hippopotamus spends up to 18 hours a day in the water keeping cool. It feeds during the hours following sunset. With the exception of mothers and their offspring, hippos leave the water singly to make their way along well-worn paths to their feeding areas. If the hippo finds a wallow of muddy water, it may remain immersed in it for much of the day. It may feed in the new area rather than returning to its usual feeding ground. For such a large animal, the hippo eats surprisingly litte-about 90 pounds a night. This is partly because it stays submerged in water most of the time, using up little energy.
Did you know?
Because it loses water through its skin much faster than other mammals, a hippo cannot survive for long on dry land in hot weather.
A hippo can stay underwater for up to five minutes, and often walks along the bottoms of lakes.
Turtles, birds, and even young crocodiles often bask in the sun on the backs of hippopotamuses.
The term "sweating blood" comes from the hippo's function of secreting a pink fluid from glands beneath its skin.
Distribution
Hippos are found in western, central, eastern, and southern Africa, with the highest concentration in the Rift Valley of eastern and central Africa.
Size
Height: 5 feet.
Length: 10-11 feet.
Weight: Males, 3,300-7,000 lbs.
Lifestyle
HabitL: Sociable, living in groups of 10-20, but can be up to 150.
Call: Roars and bellows.
Lifespan: 45-50 years.
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