Small and round, pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) is a smaller relative of the common hippopotamus (Hippopoamus amphibius). Native to West Africa, pygmy hippos are usually found solitary in forests and swamps feeding on a herbivorous diet.
Common hippopotamus (left); pygmy hippopotamus (right)
Pygmy Hippos and Common Hippos: What’s the Difference?
As its name suggests, pygmy hippos are mini versions of the common hippos. Pygmy hippos are 1.5-1.57 meters long and weigh around 170-270 kilograms, which makes them 10 times smaller than the common hippos. Ironically, pygmy hippos have proportionally longer torsos and legs than their larger relatives.
Pygmy hippos are more adapted to terrestrial life than the common hippos which spend more time in the waters. Therefore, the toes of pygmy hippos have less webbing and their eyes are positioned on the side of their rounder heads. Due to their smaller sizes and shy nature, pygmy hippos are less deadly than the common hippos. However, this does not mean that pygmy hippos are not dangerous. The bite force of an adult pygmy hippo is roughly twice the bite force of a grizzly bear!
If you are wondering why pygmy hippos look moist, it is due to the secretion of a pink protective fluid (hipposudoric acid), commonly known as “blood sweat”, to protect their sensitive skin from sunburn. Because of that, pygmy hippos have a shiny appearance.
The internet’s new obsession: the adorable baby pygmy hippo - Moo Deng in Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Thailand.
Fun fact: the name hippopotamus derives from the Greek words for “river horse”: ίππος (horse); ποταμός (river).
Threats
Not much information is known about the behaviors of pygmy hippos in the wild as they are nocturnal and rarely spotted. Pygmy hippos are classified as endangered by the IUCN with less than 3000 individuals in the wild. Human activities such as poaching and habitat loss are considered the most prominent threats to the species. Conservation efforts have been focusing on locating pygmy hippos and protecting their habitats. The ZSL Edge of Existence and the Fauna and Flora International are some organizations that have been initiating pygmy hippo conservation projects.
With the growing attention on the viral baby pygmy hippo - Moo Deng - which captures millions of hearts over the globe, hopefully this also brings attention to the challenges that many of her relatives face in the wild.
To learn more about pygmy hippo conservation, visit:
Works Cited
Das, A. (2022). What is a pygmy hippopotamus? Virginia zoo gets mammal gifted for Christmas. [online] Sportskeeda.com. Available at: https://www.sportskeeda.com/pop-culture/what-pygmy-hippopotamus-virginia-zoo-gets-mammal-gifted-christmas [Accessed 30 Sep. 2024].
Jintamas Saksornchai (2024). She’s chubby, wet, and fierce. Meet Moo Deng, a baby hippo and internet darling. [online] The Christian Science Monitor. Available at: https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Asia-South-Central/2024/0919/moo-deng-pygmy-baby-hippo-thailand [Accessed 30 Sep. 2024].
San Diego Zoo. (2019). Pygmy Hippopotamus | San Diego Zoo Animals & Plants. [online] Available at: https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/pygmy-hippopotamus.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance Library. (2024). LibGuides: Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) & Pygmy Hippopotamus (Choerpsis liberiensis) Fact Sheet: Physical Characteristics. [online] Available at: https://ielc.libguides.com/sdzg/factsheets/hippopotamus/characteristics [Accessed 30 Sep. 2024].
Zoological Society of London. (n.d.). Pygmy hippo conservation | ZSL. [online] Available at: https://www.zsl.org/what-we-do/projects/pygmy-hippo-conservation.
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