A safari in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda - October 2007

HIPPOPOTAMUS
(Hippopotamus amphibius)

The hippopotamus is simply a marvel in the wild. It is one of the largest animals on the face of the earth. Average sizes range from 3300 to 4000 pounds. The male of the species never stops growing and may get as large as 7000 pounds or more.

With all that weight, hippos can still run faster than human beings. They are one of the most dangerous animals humans can encounter, especially when coming between an animal and its territorial waters. 

Hippos swim gracefully and prefer to stay in the water during the heat of the day. Toward evening, they will come out of the water and range over a large area to graze on grasses. The word “hippopotamus” is a combination of two Greek words – “hippos” meaning horse, and “potamus” meaning river. The Hippo’s nearest relative is the whale, oddly enough. Modern study suggests that whales and hippos came from a common ancestor and headed in different directions.

We caught one very large hippo grazing as we entered the Park. He took a threatening posture toward us, but did not charge. We saw a mother and infant grazing together along the Kasinga Channel. Hippos have been known to live to about 60 years of age!