Hippopotamus (also known as Behemoth) is the popular name of the two remaining species of herbivorous ungulate mammal of the family Hippopotamidae now only found in Africa, but formally found across Britain, Europe and Asia.
The common Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibious) is a large, semi-aquatic herbivorous mammal found in tropical Africa that spends most of its time in rivers. It has a thick and square head, a very large muzzle, small eyes and ears, thick and heavy body, short legs terminated by four toes, a short tail, two ventral teats, skin about five centimeters thick on the back and sides, and without hair, except at the extremity of the tail. The incisors and canines of the lower jaw are of great strength and size, the canines or tusks being long and curved forward. These tusks sometimes reach the length of 60 cm and more, and weigh upwards of 3 kg. The animal has longe been hunted by the natives partly as food, but also on account of the tusks and teeth, their hardness being superior to that of ivory, and less liable to turn yellow. The hippopotamus has been found of the length of five meters, and stands about 1.5 meters high. It delights in water, living in lakes, rivers, and estuaries, and feeding on water-plants or on the herbage growing near the water. It is an excellent swimmer and diver, and can remain under water a considerable time. The behemoth of Job is considered by commentators to be the hippopotamus, as the description of his size, manners, food, and haunts is not unlike those of the latter animal. Among the ancient Egyptians it was revered as a divinity, as it is among the natives in some localities.
The Pygmy Hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) is smaller, about the size of a domestic pig, and is found only in lowland forests in west Africa. The Pygmy Hippopotamus is more terrestrial than the Common Hippopotamus, but spends a lot of time in swamps. While the Common Hippopotamus is a social animal, the Pygmy Hippopotamus is solitary, feeding at night on aquatic plants, grass, algae and bushes. Research Hippopotamus More pictures of Hippopotamus
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Abbreviations
Nature
Research Hippopotamus
