Hippos are semiaquatic mammals that are native to sub-Saharan Africa. They’re big, they’re river dwellers, and they’re adorably cute – but what else do you know about these great beasts?
Each year, on February 15th provide a special day to celebrate World Hippo Day. The day is encourage people to take action to prevent its extinction.
Bali Safari Park, as part of Taman Safari Indonesia Group, help to carry out the conservation program for this magnificent animal. Learn more about them to help you better understand the “river horses”.
Learn More about Hippo
Primarily found in rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps, Hippo weigh up close to 2.000kg, making them the third-largest land mammal after elephants and rhinos.
Although they are enormous, they are mostly herbivorous and can consume 68 kg of grass every night. But considering their huge size, this is not really a big amount of food.
Hippos spend most of their daytime in lakes and rivers to keep cool. They also sweat an oily red liquid to protect themselves from being sun burned.
When hippos sleep underwater, they still resurface every three to five minutes to breathe without waking up. Although they spend hours in water, hippos can’t really swim. Instead, they run along the river bottom.
However, they’re one of the most dangerous animals in Africa. This mamals can be very aggressive when protecting their own area.
There are only two species of Hippo on the planet. These include the common hippopotamus and the pygmy hippo. As here in Bali Safari Park, you can witness both of this African animal with your own eyes while doing Safari Journey.
IUCN Status
In Africa, on the other hand, hippo numbers are sadly declining. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed them as a vulnerable species in 2006 after establishing that the hippo population had declined by as much as 20% within the previous two decades.
Drought has led to habitat loss, and the hunting and poaching of hippos, both for their meat and ivory teeth, is also a major threat.
