A Common Hippopoamus, Hippopotamus amphibius, yawning in a lagoon in Botwana’s Okavango Delta.
Hippos are very large animals which mostly live in water, feeding mainly on aquatic vegetation. Their ears, eyes and nose are located high on their skull, so can remain above the water when the rest of the body is submerged.
Hippos can come onto land to graze, particularly in the evenings/at night, but also during the day. Their skin exudes a pigmented substance which protects them from the sun and inhibits the growth of skin bacteria.
A yawn from a hippo is a warning sign. Hippos will use their dangerous tusks if provoked or panicked. They appear to be placid, but can run surprisingly fast for such a big animal on such short legs. They have been known to kill some animals, even as large as Kudus, and have attacked people if they walked between the hippo and water, inadvertantly blocking off the hippo’s escape route.
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