Pygmy Hippo

This is a pygmy hippo. I was inspired to write about them after playing more hours of Planet Zoo then I'd care to admit. The pygmy hippos are one of my favourite animals in the game. They are scientifically called choeprosis liberiensis or hexaprotodon liberiensis. They are found mainly in Africa with their larger relatives. They are nocturnal and semi aquatic.

Pygmy hippos have four feet, with four toes on each of them. They have small legs, helping them reach an average of 100cm tall and 175cm in length. Weight wise, they are 1/4 smaller than their larger cousins with the average being 275kg. In captivity they normally live to be about 30, but some live up to 55.

They have no fur, only skin which tends to be a dark black or brown with a lighter underbelly. Their skin is extremely thick and secretes a chemical that gives them a slightly pink tone to their bodies. This chemicals true name is Hipposudoric acid, but has been called blood sweat. It is believed that it acts as a natural sun cream to protect them from the raging sun in Africa.

In comparison to the common hippo, the skeleton and bone structure of the pygmy is different. Their spines curve more, likely to help them navigate in undergrowth easier, and their bones are thinner. It's head is smaller than its cousin, and its legs and neck are longer.

Pygmy hippos venture out of the water at dusk to search for food. They are herbivores, but do not eat aquatic plants or grass. They tend to eat ferns, fruits and broad leaved plants.

I hope you enjoyed this post and learnt something. Next post will be behaviour related.
-Dari