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Top 10 Hippo Facts

Print these out and impress your teacher! (Or your cat.)

people who think hippos are chill
people who think hippos are chill
  1. Hippos can't really swim. They are too heavy to float, so they walk or bounce along the bottom of rivers and lakes.
  2. They hold their breath for about 5 minutes. Even when sleeping underwater, a hippo floats up to breathe without waking up.
  3. They spend up to 16 hours a day in water to stay cool, because the African sun is no joke.
  4. Big males can weigh around 3 tonnes. Only elephants (and some rhinos) are heavier on land.
  5. They can run about 30 km/h on land over short distances. Faster than you. Sorry.
LOL hippos can't even swim
LOL hippos can't even swim
  1. They eat about 35-40 kg of grass every night and may walk several kilometres to find it.
  2. A hippo can open its mouth about 150 degrees. Their lower canine teeth can grow up to 50 cm long and never stop growing.
  3. Baby hippos are born underwater and can even nurse underwater. A newborn calf weighs about 25-50 kg.
  4. A group of hippos is called a pod or, even better, a bloat.
  5. Hippos are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, mostly due to habitat loss and poaching. Be nice to hippos!
Y U NO RESPECT HIPPO PERSONAL SPACE
Y U NO RESPECT HIPPO PERSONAL SPACE
WARNING: Hippos look cute and chubby, but they are one of the most dangerous large animals in Africa. They are very territorial. DO NOT HUG THE HIPPO.