Hippo+Behaviors



Although hippos spend most of the daytime hours waddling gracefully in wetlands, they eat most of the 88-100 pounds of grass they consume daily at night. Hippos cannot swim; instead they sort of float around in the water. Their thick layer of blubber helps to keep them afloat. The nostrils of the hippo close when the animal is submerged, allowing it to stay under water five minutes or longer. Sleeping hippos can rise to the surface to breathe.

The female hippo carries her unborn babies about eight months. Most babies are born during the rainy season following a period of dryness when larger groups of hippos congregate. Courtship is uneventful, as the male simply chases the female and mates with her when he finally catches her. Most babies are born and nursed under water.

These animals appear to be passive and friendly, but they do have another personality. The males will frequently square off with each other, especially when marking their territory. They might stand back to back, splashing urine and feces on each other, spreading it with their flat tails. This action is called muck spreading. Sometimes the males will even injure the young, attacking them with their long teeth or trampling on them until they die. Female hippos will often attack the males to protect their young. The males respond by lying down and looking calm and friendly. Hippos, however, are among the most dangerous and aggressive of all mammals. Their large bodies, wide mouths, and long canines become weapons when aggravated.

Hippos appear to be slow and sluggish, especially when barely moving in the water. When on land, though, they can move as fast as 30 miles an hour. One would not want to be in the path of a hippo on the move!

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 * A child's view of a trip to the zoo to visit Patty and Puddles**