Hippopotamus

Description

They are semiaquatic: as their eyes and nostrils are on   the top of the head. The shape of their limbs allows them to run at speeds of up to 50 km/h. They can open their jaws to an angle of 150º, which allows them to grasp enormous amounts of food. Their skin is very thick, dark grey in colour, with a few thick and stiff hairs on the rump.

Behaviour

They are active mainly during the night and sleep throughout the day. They live in social groups of up to 80 individuals with a dominant male who remains isolated from the rest of the group and they are only territorial in the water. They communicate together by grunting, both in and out of the water.

Interesting facts

It is one of the largest land-dwelling animals, after elephants and rhinoceroses. They eat about 70 kg of vegetables a day. The main threats they face are habitat fragmentation and illegal hunting for their meat and the ivory in their teeth.