All information about the hippopotamus

What does a hippo eat?

Hippos eat grass. This can be all kinds of different kinds of grass be. During the day, a hippopotamus lies a lot in the water, here they can move more easily and cool down. In the evening, when it is less warm, they come ashore to eat. Hippos look for grass they can eat. Once they reach the grass, they eat up to 60 pounds of grass! They can even spend 8 hours a night to do so. This is also the reason why hippos live in an environment where both grass and water can be found. In the morning, they return to the water.

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Is a hippo dangerous?

A hippo is more dangerous than many people think. A hippopotamus is considered one of the most dangerous animals. This is because of the following reasons:

• Hippopotamus are heavy, but can run fast. At their fastest, they reach a speed of up to 45 km per hour!

• Hippopotamus demands many human casualties. It is unwise for humans to get between a Hippopotamus and the water. If a Hippopotamus feels unsafe, it will run back to the water for protection. During this path, it runs over and through everything it encounters.

• A Hippopotamus can bite through many things with its large teeth, for example, skin and wood. It therefore often deploys these teeth during a fight with other animals.

Types of hippos

There are currently two species of hippopotamus. The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) is the largest species. The other species is the pygmy hippopotamus (Hexaprotodon liberiensis). Several species of hippopotamus used to live, but they have become extinct over the years. In Safaripark Beekse Bergen live the "common" hippos.

Training hippos

When a hippo moves to another zoo, a lot of things come into play. The animal has to be trained and transport has to be arranged. Wondering how that works? Then take a quick look at this Ranger Request!

Sound of a hippopotamus

Hippopotami are the only mammals that can talk to each other both above and below water. Above water they do this by grunting, which they can do very loudly! Under water, however, it is more difficult, especially since their ears are closed. They solve that by vibrating with the fat in their neck and throat, these vibrations are transmitted through the water and thus received by other hippos.

Is the hippopotamus endangered?

The hippo's status is "vulnerable. The biggest threat is posed by the loss of the hippo's habitat. In addition, the animals are hunted by poachers for meat and ivory, which is found in the animals' teeth.

The role of zoos is to preserve and protect of endangered species. European parks work closely together to achieve this goal and do so with an management program (EEP). The hippo is also part of this. In this way, a healthy reserve population is maintained. Find out more about species conservation and our role here.

Conservation

Not only hippos, but many of the species you see in our park are endangered and struggling in their original habitats. Did you know that worldwide more than 4000 animal species are threatened with extinction are endangered? Together we can help them, with big, or small steps. Want to know how? Then here.

How does a hippo defecate?

Hippos are known for their "interesting" way of defecating. In fact, a hippo swings its tail while defecating. This causes a splatter parade of poop. But why does a hippo swing its tail like that? Ranger Jannah found out in the Ranger Report below.

Can hippos swim?

No, hippos cannot swim. Nor can they float. They stand on the bottom and propel themselves by galloping along the bottom or moving push off against the bottom. They do have flippers between their toes to propel themselves through the water. Hippos prefer to live in shallow water. The water must be just deep enough so they can stand up and their ears, eyes and nostrils rise above the water. In this way the hippo can still breathe, hear and see while in the water.

How long can a hippo stay underwater?

Hippos can stay underwater for up to stay underwater for as long as five minutes. They can even sleep underwater. Every five minutes, a reflex lifts them to the surface. Above water they breathe and then they sink to the bottom again. All this happens without the hippo waking up. Handsome, isn't it?

Habitat of a hippo

The habitat of a hippo consists of both land and water. They live mainly in East Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. Because of this heat, hippos are mainly in shallow water during the day. at night they come out of the water and go on land in search of food.

Young hippos

A female hippopotamus has a gestation period of about 8 months. After these 8 months, the young is born in the water. The cub is suckled for about one year of suckling. Feeding takes place under water. The cub returns to the surface every few minutes to breathe. Young hippos can swim can swim after birth.

Can't wait to admire hippos in real life? Then order your discounted tickets right away!