5. An adult hippo eats more than 150 pounds of grass a
night.
These grazers tear up grass not with their teeth but with
their lips.
In the zoo, they eat zoo ration, alfalfa hay, trace
minerals, and water free choice.
6. The hippo is the second or third largest land
animal, depending on which rhino one is
considering, and by far the largest river dweller.
A mature bull is about 13 feet long, nose to
tail, and measures five feet high at the shoulder.
7. Longevity is 40 years or so.
Females usually have their first calf at about 10 years of
age.
A single calf is born at a time, rarely two, with a gestation
period of 227-240 days.
8. Although hippos might look docile, they are
probably the most dangerous African animal.
They are not only aggressive and easily
enraged, but they are also very unpredictable.
9. The name hippopotamus comes from the Greek
"hippos," meaning horse.
But the hippo is more closely related to the pig
than the horse. Hippos spend most of their day
in water close to shore lying on their bellies.
10. That Is Why Hippos Are My Favorite Animal.
THE END
