World Hippo Day Facts, Date, Evolution, Celebration, Card, Banner

4to40.com February 7, 2024 Public Awareness 1,373 Views

In honor of the world’s third-largest mammal, February 15th is designated as World Hippo Day each year. Also, it’s Hippopotamus Day, so you may learn more about this fascinating creature.

All other animals are smaller than a hippopotamus, which is why only blue whales and African elephants are larger than them. A hippopotamus is an old Greek name for a river horse. The enormous beast is 8,000 pounds heavy. A hippopotamus can only be found on one continent. It’s called Africa. Hippos may be found in more than 30 African nations. In the wild, these herbivores can live for up to 50 years. Two species of hippos are known to exist on the globe. These include the pygmy hippopotamus and the ordinary hippopotamus.

Did you know?

World Hippo Day is observed every February 15 and marks a day to remember the hippopotamus which are reportedly declining in population. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) listed them as “vulnerable species” in 2006.

World Hippo Day aims to celebrate and value these mud-loving mammals, in the hope that they’ll be around for many more years to come. It also focuses to raise awareness about the illegal trading of these animals as hunting and poaching of hippos, both for their meat and ivory teeth, is a major threat to the species.

These days there are only two types, say reports stating them to be – the bog-standard hippopotamus and the smaller pygmy hippopotamus, but a few other now extinct species could be found across Europe and in Madagascar as little as 1,000 years ago. Hippos are now most common in countries such as Zambia and Tanzania.

World Hippo Day Date:

Hippos are preyed upon by a variety of species of predators, including hyenas, lions, and even saltwater crocodiles. Others go after their ivory canine teeth instead of their flesh. After the international prohibition on the international trade of elephant ivory in 1989, the demand for hippo teeth soared. A prohibition on the trading of hippo teeth has just been instituted, although the species is still considered threatened. The biggest drop in hippo numbers has been in the Democratic Republic of the Congo throughout the years.

Evolution of World Hippo Day:

The Whippomorpha, a species of semi-aquatic mammals, are regarded to be the ancestors of hippos. At some point in the past 54 million years, this group was divided into two distinct groups. To become aquatic cetaceans, the initial branch of the family tree included whales and dolphins. In the second branch, anthracotheres, a relative of the common hippopotamus, emerged.

Except for those that developed into Hippopotamidae, all anthracothere branches died extinct during the Pliocene Epoch (nearly 2 million years ago). Approximately 35 million years ago, this lineage of hippo ancestors arrived in Africa and became one of the continent’s first great animals. The earliest known hippopotamus, Kenyapotamus, lived in Africa between 16 and 8 million years ago. Archaeopotamus, a species that existed in Africa and the Middle East between 7.5 million years ago and 1.8 million years ago, was the ancestor of the contemporary hippo.

Before the last glacial period, the European hippopotamus, Hippopotamus antiquus, Hippopotamus major, and Hippopotamus gorgops lived in Europe and the British Isles. Scientists have hypothesized that humans are to blame for the extinction of these hippos, but the specific cause remains a mystery.

Although anthracothere genus has been identified in North America, there is no evidence of hippos on the continent at all. Numerous attempts have been made to bring this species to the United States without success. That is, until the late 1980s when Pablo Escobar brought four hippos into Columbia illegally. There are now roughly 100 hippos in this area.

Facts about World Hippo Day:

Baby hippos weigh around 100 pounds.
In order to breathe, hippos must emerge from the water every five minutes for up to 16 hours a day.
Hippos give birth to their young in the water, much as their mothers do.
Every two years, female hippos give birth to a calf.
They may appear slow, but hippos can reach a top speed of 19 mph. It takes hippos around four or five hours to ingest 150 pounds of grass.

How to celebrate World Hippo Day?

The finest way to celebrate this special day is to do it this way. The hippopotamus may be found in a variety of locations. A local zoo may have a hippo exhibit, so you may check it out. You might perhaps go on one of the several safaris in Africa. There are a wide variety of safari trip providers to choose from. To get up and personal with an animal, you can use these
“Madagascar” has always been a favorite of mine. Among the zoo animals shown in the video is Gloria, a hippopotamus. You may spend World Hippo Day watching Gloria and her zoo-animal pals’ escapades, or you can use your movie streaming service to look for a hippos-themed movie.
Hippos are in danger of being extinct in the wild. Animal conservation groups are working around the clock to save this species from extinction, but they need your help to do it! Donations are one way you can assist. One hippopotamus can be saved for as little as $1.

10 Fun Facts About Hippos:

Native to Africa, hippos are the third largest mammals on earth. Elephants and White Rhinos are the two largest land mammals.
The two most widely known species of the hippopotamus are the common hippopotamus, or Hippopotamus amphibius. These hippos can measure 6 to 16 feet long. The pygmy hippo, or Choeropsis liberiensis, a smaller species of hippopotamus, is on average 5 feet long.
No wonder their nickname is “river horse“! Hippos are strong swimmers and can hold their breath for an average of 5 minutes. That’s long enough to take walks along lakebeds and riverbed floors.
Hippos are threatened animals due to human activity impacting their environment.
Hippos, the third largest mammal on earth, are herbivores. They fuel their bodies with plants! On average, they eat 80 pounds of grass each night.
The gestation period of a hippo is 243 days (eight months). And the baby hippos are called calves, and they weigh between 30 and 50 pounds when they’re born.
Hippos are most active at night. They leave their resting waters near dusk and return in the morning.
Hippos produce their own sunblock! Sub-Saharan Africa, where the sun’s UV rays are incredibly strong, has made hippos adapt and develop an ability to produce a red, oily liquid that acts as a natural sunblock.
Fascinatingly, hippos can identify a friend from a foe by smelling their dung – or poop! Hippos use middens, or outdoor areas where they repeatedly go to the bathroom. Hippos can then sniff the area to find out who’s been there, and if they’re considered friends.
Hippos serve an integral role in their ecosystems, as their enormous size lends itself to creating microhabitats for smaller organisms. They facilitate habitats for fish populations by repeatedly walking on common pathways from water sources to inland areas.