When I sat down to write today’s post, I had to perform a quick mental tally to determine which species of animals I’ve already dedicated posts to. I try to avoid being redundant whenever possible, and my blog is no exception, so after some careful thought, I finally settled on hippos, because, in all honesty, who doesn’t like them?
When I say I like hippos, I mean I like them from a safe distance. Hippos, while absolutely adorable in my own humble opinion, can do some serious damage if provoked, and they’re not exactly cuddly animals.
Check out the following information about hippos from natgeokids.com.
“1) Hippos are large semi-aquatic mammals, with a large barrel-shaped body, short legs, a short tail and an enormous head! They have greyish to muddy-brown skin, which fades to a pale pink colour underneath.
“2) They are considered the second largest land animal on Earth (first place goes to the elephant!). Males measure around 3.5m long and 1.5m tall, and can weigh up 3,200kg. That’s as much as three small cars!
“3) To stay cool in the blistering African heat, hippos spend most of their day in rivers and lakes. Their eyes, nose and ears are located on the top of their head, which means they can see and breathe whilst submerged in the water. What’s more, these super-cool creatures sweat an oily red liquid which helps protect their skin from drying out – and acts as a sunblock, too! Cool, huh?
“4) These magnificent mammals were once found throughout all sub-saharan Africa. Sadly, populations have declined due to habitat loss and hunting. Today, they are largely confined to protected areas in East African countries,” the web page explains.
Without being too pushy, feel free to stop by again tomorrow as we continue our discussion of all things hippo.
Photo by Tim De Pauw on Unsplash
ontheedgeofeverything 