Imagine being on a safari tour in Africa. The hot sun is rising and you suddenly spot some vast creatures in the river. Congratulations, you just spotted the largest mammal in the world: a hippopotamus. A hippopotamus, also called a hippo, is a huge animal that lives in Africa. They have a thick greyish coat of skin with very little hair. More specifically, they have big round bodies with short legs. A normal size hippo can weigh about 5000+ pounds. Isn’t that crazy? Their eyes, and ears are located on top of their head, allowing them to stay alert to their surroundings. The main question that arises in most people’s heads is “What do hippos eat?”. So, in this article, we will be telling you about the diet of hippos and all the species of hippos. Stay tuned.
Due to their bulky body, hippos aren’t great at swimming but they can sink to the bottom of the river. They stay in the water all day to protect their skin from burning in the hot sun. In fact, hippos only get out of the water in the evening or when they need to eat.
Facts about hippopotamus
The hippopotamus is a semi-aquatic animal often found in sub-Saharan Africa. A hippo spends most of its time submerged in the river or foraging for food nearby. Mostly, A hippo will search for food in the evening when the sun goes down. It ranks third, behind only the elephant and rhino, as the largest land mammal still living today. As a result, the hippopotamus needs to consume vast quantities of food for its growth and health. Hippos hang out in groups which are also called schools, pods, etc. A school of hippos usually consists of 10 to 25 members. A school consists of both male and female hippos including their children. A school of hippos is usually led by a dominant male hippo.
Hippos are loud animals. Their snorts are measured at 115 decibels back in 2019 at San Diego Zoo. The animal’s signature noise called the “wheeze honk” can be heard from more than half a mile away. These creatures use subsonic vocals to communicate with each other. Hippos are aggressive animals and are considered very dangerous. They have large teeth which can grow up to 15 to 20 inches. They use their big sharp teeth to fight off any threats caused to them. Sometimes, during a fight between two adult hippos, a young hippo in the center can be crushed or get serious injuries. There are only two species of hippos left: the common hippo and the pygmy hippo.
This article will only cover the common hippo because the pygmy hippo is almost as same as the common hippo. Are you wondering what do hippos eat? Keep reading to find out.
Diet of Hippopotamus
The Hippopotamus is an herbivorous creature. It only consumes an herbivorous diet in the wild. They eat grass and sometimes fruits if available. The hippos use their big lips to snatch the grass out of the ground and use their sharp teeth to crush the grass in the mouth. Their sharp teeth are helpful in crushing the grass to easily swallow it. They also enjoy small shoots of grass emerging from the ground. Aquatic plants also seem to form a small percentage of their diet. Pygmy hippos eat a higher proportion of leaves than grass. On very rare occasions, hippos are seen eating dead animals in the wild.
Traditionally, it was argued that hippos also eat meat. However, scientific study shows that their stomachs do not digest meat. The hippos have been seen attacking and consuming other animals only during times of food scarcity. They have been seen engaging in cases of cannibalism with the same species. The research argues that hippos can also consume meat but not all the time. Their stomach can also digest meat but there are only a few cases of meat consumption. The common hippo is large enough to take down any animal in the wild including wildebeest, zebras, etc. Hippos try to avoid hunting because it requires more energy. They always prefer eating fresh grass then meat.
It is estimated that hippos eat 1% of their body weight every day. The common hippo can weigh nearly 10000 pounds, this can amount to approximately 50 to 150 pounds of food every day. In order to prevent any loss of energy, the hippos usually spend their whole day submerged in the river. They can’t swim or float because their body is simply too heavy.
What do hippos eat in the Zoo?
Compared to their wild diet, Hippos in the Zoo eat a variety of foods which is selected by the trainer and staff. For example, the San Diego Zoo feeds its hippos a combination of alfalfa, Bermuda hay, and a large variety of vegetables. Pygmy hippos will also consume a variety of high-fiber pellets and greens in most zoos. Hippos are dependent on a very small variety of foods. When grazing in the wild, the hippo’s enormous lips enable them to pull reeds and grass from the ground. Their paths are known as “hippo paths” and their areas of eating are known as “hippo lawns”. All hippos are born with sterile intestines which help them break down complex plants into small nutrients.
Summary
In this article, we have discussed the largest land mammals in the world. We have discussed their diet and living. The hippopotamus likes to be submerged in the water every day. Being a semi-aquatic animal, the hippopotamus can’t swim or float. They can sink to the bottom of the river and move here and there. The Hippopotamus is an herbivore animal and it likes to eat plants. Their large muscular lips help them to pull grass off the ground. Their large teeth help them to chew on the grass for easy digestion. Hippo’s teeth can grow up to 15 inches. Hippos are loud animals and can snort with a sound of more than 100 decibels. You can listen to hippo sounds from more than half a mile away. Hippos in the zoo eat a variety of food that is selected by their trainer or staff.
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