Hippopotamus weight in kg

Get ready to meet one of nature’s most powerful animals with our ten facts about the hippopotamus…

Hippo Facts

1) Hippos are large semi-aquatic mammals, with a large barrel-shaped body, short legs, a short tail and an enormous head!

They have greyish to muddy-brown skin, which fades to a pale pink colour underneath.

2) They are considered the second largest land animal on Earth (first place goes to the elephant!).

How big is a hippo compared to a human

Males measure around 3.5m long and 1.5m tall, and can weigh up 3,200kg. That’s as much as three small cars!

3) To stay cool in the blistering African heat, hippos spend most of their day in rivers and lakes.

Their eyes, nose and ears are located on the top of their head, which means they can see and breathe whilst submerged in the water. What’s more, these super-cool creatures sweat an oily red liquid which helps protect their skin from drying out – and acts as a sunblock, too!

Cool, huh?

4) These magnificent mammals were once found throughout all sub-saharan Africa. Sadly, populations have decl

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