Hippo Flashcards
Is the hippopotamus in a monotypic genus?
Yes.
What does hippopotamus mean in Greek?
River horse.
What are the only two groups of land animals that are larger than the hippopotamus?
The rhinos and the elephants.
What group of animals are the closest relatives of the hippo?
Cetaceans.
How long ago did hippos diverge from cetaceans?
55 million years ago.
When did the earliest known hippo emerge?
16 million years ago.
How much does the average male hippo weigh?
3,500 pounds
How fast can a hippo run?
20 mph
What is the conservation status of the hippo?
Vulnerable.
What are the main threats to the hippo?
Poaching, habitat loss, and pollution.
What parts of the hippos are poached?
The meat and the ivory canine teeth.
What is the range and habitat of the hippo?
Rivers, lakes, and swamps in all but Northern Africa.
What is the average size of a hippo group?
30
What do hippos do during the heat of the day?
They sit in mud or water.
When do hippos come out to graze?
Dusk.
True or false? Hippos graze in groups.
False.
What is a group of hippos called?
A pod.
What is the Swahili word for hippo?
Kiboko.
How many subspecies of hippo are there?
5.
What is a nominate subspecies?
The original subspecies.
What animals did scientists group hippos with until 1909?
Pigs.
What pieces of evidence showed that hippos shared a lineage with cetaceans?
Blood proteins, DNA, and the fossil record.
What is the oldest known hippopotamus?
The Kenyapotamus.
When did the Malagasy hippopotamus go extinct?
1,000 years ago.
When did the European hippopotamus go extinct?
At the end of the last ice age.
How much did the largest hippo ever weigh?
3 tons.
Male hippos grow throughout their lives, but females cap out at what age?
25.
Why are the legs of the hippo so small compared to those of many other large animals?
Because the water supports their body most of the time.
Can the hippo swim or float?
No.
Can hippos jump?
No.
Why is the hippo rarely found in deep water?
It needs to move by running or leaping on the river bed.
what is a massester?
The muscle responsible for mastication.
Why can hippos open their jaws so wide?
Their jaw hinge is located very far back.
Haw long are the canines of a hippo?
1.5 feet.
Why are the canines of a hippo so long?
They are used for combat.
What does the hippo use to pull grasses?
Its rough lips.
True or false? The hippo is a pseudoruminant.
True.
How thick is the skin of the hippo?
Six inches.
Is the layer of fat beneath the hippo’s skin thick or thin?
Thin.
What is blood sweat?
It is a reddish-brown substance that hippos secrete as a natural sunscreen.
What is blood sweat made from?
Acid.
What purpose does blood sweat have besides protecting the hippo from the sun?
It kills bacteria.
How long does a hippo live on average?
50 years.
How many hippos are currently left?
150,000
Who are generally considered to be the most likely culprits of poaching within the Congo?
Rebels, soldiers, and militia groups.
What country has a population of feral hippos?
Columbia.
Who was the Columbian drug lord that introduced hippos to Columbia after they escaped his menagerie?
Pablo Escobar.
True or false? Hippos give birth in the water.
True.
How many pounds of grass can a hippo eat per night?
150 pounds.
What do hippos eat?
Grasses and aquatic plants.
Hippos have occasionally been observed eating carrion. what is the theory for this strange occurrence?
Nutritional stress.
How do hippos affect vegetation and geography?
They often travel the same paths, which can lead to depressed vegetation and ground. Over time, this can change the paths of channels and swamps.
How fast can the hippo move in the water?
5 mph.
How long can a hippo hold its breath?
5 minutes.
True or false? Hippos cannot sleep underwater because they will drown.
False. They instinctively rise while still sleeping.
How do hippos clean themselves of bugs and parasites?
They open their mouths and birds or fish will enter and clean the inside.
How old are hippos when they are mature?
Six.
What is the gestation period of the hippo?
Eight months.
How long and heavy are baby hippos?
100 pounds and four feet long.
How many calves do hippos usually have?
One.
True or false? No one is completely sure when hippos mate.
True.
What are the two most common reasons for a hippo to attack a human?
Defending territory or protecting their calves.
How does the hippo warn that it is about to attack?
It “yawns”
True or false? Hippo fights usually result in death.
False. The battle usually ends as soon as it is clear that one is stronger.
How old is the oldest piece of hippo art?
160,000 years
What did many Zulu warriors consider to be the bravest animal?
The hippo.
How do hippos mark their territory?
They defecate and then use their tail to fling it everywhere.
What is a the term for a set of weak opening moves in chess?
A hippopotamus defense.
What is an ungulate?
A hoofed mammal.
