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whales
In fact, hippopotamus are actually whales’ closest “cousins”, and they’re much more closely related than you might guess. Based on their fossil record, scientists have determined that whales are related to land dwelling mammals that lived on Earth between 52 – 47 million years ago.
What is a hippo habitat?
Hippos mostly live in freshwater habitats, however populations in West Africa mostly inhabit estuarine waters and may even be found at sea. With the exception of eating, most of a hippo’s life occurs in the water.
Who do hippos live with?
While common hippopotamuses (Hippopotamus amphibius) are companionable and very social animals, their smaller relatives, pygmy hippopotamuses (Choeropsis liberiensis) usually prefer to go it alone. Physical size isn’t the only thing that separates the planet’s two hippopotamus species.
Analysis of the previously unknown, long-extinct animal also confirms that cetaceans — the group to which whales, dolphins and porpoises belong — are in fact the hippo’s closest living cousins. Yet the huge age gap between hippos and cetaceans in the fossil record left experts stumped.
Did hippos evolve from dolphins?
Despite their contrasting appearances, fully aquatic cetaceans — the group that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises — and semi-aquatic hippopotamuses are each other’s closest living relatives and share a common ancestor that lived about 55 million years ago.
What kind of habitat does a hippo live in?
Hippopotamus has their peaceful habitat. Hippos live in sub-Saharan Africa. They live in large amounts of watery areas, as they are submerged most of the time to keep their skin cool and moist. Considered as an amphibious animal, hippos spend 3 hours a day in the water, according to National Geographic.
How many species of hippos are there in the world?
There are two species of hippopotamus: the river, or common, hippo and the much smaller pygmy hippo. Hippos have unique skin that needs to be kept wet for a good part of the day. Staying out of the water for too long can lead to dehydration, so hippos try to remain in water during the day.
How big does a hippopotamus live in a group?
The hippopotamus is social, living in groups of 10 to 30 individuals. They have even been seen in much larger groups of up to 200 individuals! The herd has several adult females and several adult males, but there is one dominant male.
Why are hippos part of the Animalia kingdom?
The hippopotamus is part of the Animalia kingdom because they are eukaryotic, they form from embryos, and they can grow back some missing parts of the body. Humans have directly impacted the hippopotamus in their ways of hunting. Hippos are an easy source of meat in Africa and are easy to kill in large scale.