Hippos do, however, have very delicate skin that needs to be protected from the harsh sun. The dominant male is the only one allowed to mate with the females of the herd, although sometimes he will allow a subordinate male to mate. They live in groups, called “bloats”, of about 15 to 30 individuals, with … Behavior. There are two species of hippos in the world today, the Common Hippopotamus and the Pygmy Hippopotamus. The hippo produces its own natural sunscreen—a substance called "blood sweat" or "red sweat," it consists of red and orange acids that absorb ultraviolet light and inhibit the growth of bacteria. Some animals from “hotter” climates can stand colder weather and some absolutely hate it. Adult hippos can stay under water for up to six minutes. The word Hippopotamus come from Greek and means "river horse," although there is nothing horse like about these huge animals. According to a San story; when the Creator assigned each animal its place in nature, the hippos wanted to live in the water, but were refused out of fear that they might eat all the fish. Soon after birth, the mother and her baby join up with other cows and calves for protection against predators, such as crocodiles, lions and hyenas. Where do Hippos Live? In order to suckle under water, the baby must take a deep breath, close its nostrils and ears and then wrap its tongue tightly around the teat to suck. They’re highly gregarious, interacting often and tolerating close contact when they’re in water, and often lying in a heap when resting ashore each day, warming themselves up in the sun, but when they’re out grazing, usually at night, each animal becomes its own independent and unsociable unit. During the dry season, the dominant male chooses a partner, and then the other males fight each other for the remaining females. Add some self-sharpening teeth that can grow to almost 2 feet long, and a jaw that can stretch to 180 degrees and deliver an incredible bite force, and you have a powerful animal that can cause some serious damage. A young hippo can only stay submerged for about half a minute. We do not have evidence of this but there are concerns the hippos could displace native wildlife, such as otters and manatees. Depending on where they live in the Delta, ... Hippos are found mostly in the areas of permanent water, Lagoons and deep channels in the Delta. 9) Female hippos, called cows, give birth every two years, usually to a single calf. 10) In the wild hippos live for around 40 years. Hippos appear to suffer a form of social schizophrenia. Hippos have been the subjects of various African folktales. Hippos do tend to be extremely territorial animals. Both are mammals that live in Africa, and each is a member of the family hippopotamidae. Over millions of years, many species of hippos existed. They are the third biggest land mammal, most weighing in excess of 3 tones. This instinctive behavior is the same when the baby suckles on land. Firstly, hippos weigh in at more than 3,000 pounds and reach lengths of up to 17 feet, making them truly gigantic. Hippos spend most of the hours during the day immersed in slow-moving waters in order to cope with the hot conditions of the African savanna. Hippos live in herds of 10 – 40 individuals, however, herds of 100 or more hippos have been observed. Groups of 10-30 hippos live together with one dominant male. Though they feed on land, hippos do many other activities in the water, including mating and birthing. It depends on the weather. Hippos are gregarious animals which means they move around in groups, enjoying company of others. What Do Hippos Eat?Hippos are the third-largest land animals after elephants and rhinos (white).. 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