Hippopotamuses can only be seen in the forests of Africa and south of the Sahara
Desert. Hippopotamuses have barrel - shaped bodies which is very hard consisting
short legs. An adult hippo may reach a length of about 15 feet, a height of 5
feet at the shoulders, and a weight of 4 tons or more.
Hippopotamuses usually
sleep and take a rest in or near water during the day and feed at night. Hippopotamuses
live alone or in groups of 10 to as many as 100 animals. Hippopotamuses were once
widespread in Africa. The family group of hippos spends most of the day in the
water. Staying submerged helps a hippo stay cool in the hot, tropical climate
where it lives.
The hippo's nose, ears, and eyes are on the top of its
head, and they protrude from the water while the rest of its head and its body
lie beneath the surface. They also have an excellent skill of swimming and their
nose and mouth closes automatically when they are completely under water. They
can stay under water continuously more than 5 minutes.
After many years
of hunting, however, their numbers and range got greatly reduced. People still
kill hippopotamuses for their meat, their hides, and their teeth, which are good-quality
ivory. Today hippos are most common in wildlife preserves and national parks.
