Pygmy Hippopotamus
Pygmy Hippotamus; Choeropsis liberiensis
Characteristics
- Origin
West Africa, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Sierra Leone
- Habitat
rainforests, by rivers and lakes
- Diet
Aquatic plants, leaves, shoots, fruit, grass, herbs
- Status
Highly endangered, less than 3,000 animals according to estimates
- Size
approx. 1.60 long
- Weight
180 - 270 kg
- Gestation period
6 to 7 months
- Achievable age
up to 42 years in the wild, up to 55 years in human care
Threat Categories of IUCN
Impressive Teeth
Astonishing: A hippo's teeth grow back all throughout their lives and effectively sharpen themselves. The animals primarily use their large canine tusks for self-defense. They hardly need them to eat. As herbivores they tear off their food with their lips and just chew it up languidly with their molars.
