Hippopotamus Information

Hippos are heavy-body animals that spend most of their life in water. There are 2 species of hippo. The common hippo (Hippopotamus amphibius) lives in East Africa, south of the Sahara. The pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) is found in rivers and swamps in dense forests of western Africa, but it is a very rare and shy animal. The common hippopotamus can weigh up to 7,000 pounds; it is the second largest land mammal. The pygmy hippopotamus is much smaller and can weigh between 440 and 605 pounds.

The name "hippotamus" comes from the Greek words "hippos" (horse) and "potamus" (river).

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