Pygmy Hippos

Description

The size of the Pygmy Hippo is substantially smaller than that of the other species which is the Common Hippo. However, tipping the scales at about one ton is nothing small to bat an eye about. They are very large animals and the distinct features of them ensure they won't be easily mistaken for any other type of animal in the world. They are in a class all of their own. (Zapico 45)

Anatomy

Many people are quite impressed with the overall body of the Pygmy Hippo. The biggest part of the body is the middle which is often referred to as the barrel. They have extremely short and stocky legs. However, they are designed to hold up the weight of the overall body of this animal. An extremely small tail looks almost completely out of place on this particular animal.

They have a very large head with a mouth that is large enough to blow you away. Inside of that mouth are molars made from ivory. This is a fact that often results in the senseless killing of these animals. In order for the Pygmy Hippo to be able to breath under the water, they have the nostrils set up on top of the head. That is also where their eyes and ears are located. (Smuts and Whyte 169-185)

Even though they have very small ears, they also have an amazing sense of hearing. They can also see very well both during the day and at night. Since they are nocturnal they are able to sleep during the day in the water. They have an anatomy that allows them to surface automatically as they need to for air while they sleep.

Evolution

The thoughts on evolution for the Pygmy Hippo continue to circulate, but we really don't have all the facts. We do know that there are signs of extinct species of Hippos out there. From them, we also know that these animals used to be much smaller than they are not. It is also believed that at one time they were only land animals and not semi aquatic as they are today.

Behavior

This is classified as an extremely dangerous animal both for humans and for other animals. They are extremely powerful and they are going to control their territory no matter what it takes to do so. There is often conflicts among them in the water but not so much on land. There are different social groups within the herd. You will find the females with the young in one area, females without young in another. You will also find the bachelor males in one group and the dominant male alone. (Nowak 1347-1350)

It is fascinating to listen to a group of Pygmy Hippos due to the loud commotion that they can take part in. They are very vocal, especially when they feel threatened. We still need to conduct lots of research though before we do know what all of it means. They mothers are very vocal when it comes to the interactions they have as ...