Small Hippo Head

The common hippopotamus is the third-largest type of land mammal, being only smaller than elephants and some rhinoceroses and inhabits rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps.

Different from all other large land mammals, hippos are of semiaquatic habits, spending the day in lakes and rivers. In a Ndebele tale, the hippo originally had long, beautiful hair, but was set on fire by a jealous hare and had to jump into a nearby pool. The hippo lost most of his hair and was too embarrassed to leave the water. During the day, they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and childbirth both occur in water. They emerge at dusk to graze on grasses. While hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water, grazing is a solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land.