Hippo Trivia Questions and Answers - River Horse
What is a Hippopotamus?
A: The common hippopotamus, or hippo, is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in
sub-Saharan Africa.
Where does the name come from?
A: The ancient Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος).
After the elephant and rhinoceros, the common hippopotamus
is the what?
A: Third-largest type of land mammal and the heaviest extant artiodactyl.
What are their closest living relatives?
A: Cetaceans (whales, porpoises, etc.) from which they diverged about 55 million
years ago.
The common ancestor of whales and hippos split from other
even-toed ungulates about how long ago?
A: 60 million years ago.
Common hippos are recognizable by their what?
A: Barrel-shaped torsos, wide-opening mouths revealing large canine tusks,
nearly hairless bodies, columnar-like legs and large size.
Hippos are the third-largest type of land mammal by what?
A: Weight.
The only heavier species on average are the what?
A: White and Indian rhinoceroses, and the elephants.
The hippopotamus can easily outrun a what?
A: A human.
Hippos have been recorded as running how fast over short
distances?
A: At 30 km/h (19 mph).
The hippopotamus is a highly aggressive and unpredictable
animal and is ranked among the what?
A: Most dangerous animals in Africa.
Hippos are threatened by habitat loss and poaching for
their what?
A: Meat and ivory canine teeth.
The common hippopotamus is semiaquatic, inhabiting what?
A: Rivers, lakes and mangrove swamps.
Territorial bulls preside over a stretch of river and
groups of how many females and young?
A: Five to 30.
During the day, they remain cool by staying where?
A: In the water or mud.
Where do reproduction and childbirth both occur?
A: In water.
The hippos come out at dusk for what?
A: To graze on grasses.
While hippopotamuses rest near each other in the water,
grazing is a what?
A: A solitary activity and hippos are not territorial on land.
The hippopotamus is the type genus of what family?
A: Hippopotamidae.
Until 1909, naturalists grouped hippos with pigs, based on
what?
A: Molar patterns.
Several lines of evidence, from blood proteins, molecular
systematics, DNA and the fossil record, show that their closest living relatives
are what?
A: Cetaceans – whales, dolphins and porpoises.
What is the average weight for adult males?
A: Between 1,500 and 1,800 kg (3,300 and 4,000 lb).
Females are smaller than their male counterparts, with
average weights between what?
A: 1,300 and 1,500 kg (2,900 and 3,300 lb).
The heaviest known hippopotamus weighed approximately how
much?
A: 4,500 kg (9,900 lb).
Male hippos appear to continue growing for how long?
A: Throughout their lives while females reach maximum weight at around age 25.
The eyes, ears, and nostrils of hippos are placed high on
the roof of their skulls which allows what?
A: The organs to remain above the surface while the rest of the body submerges.
Hippos specific gravity allows them to what?
A: Sink and move along the bottom of a river.
Hippopotamuses have small legs because the water in which
they live does what?
A: Reduces the weight burden.
Hippos are incapable of what?
A: Jumping but do climb up steep banks.
Hippos are semiaquatic and have what kind of feet?
A: Webbed.
An adult hippo is not a particularly good swimmer nor can
it what?
A: Float.
Hippos are rarely found where?
A: in deep water.
A hippo's canines and incisors are used for what?
A: Combat and play no role in feeding.
Hippos rely on their broad horny lips to do what?
A: Grasp and pull grasses which are then ground by the molars.
The hippo is considered to be a pseudoruminant, it has a
complex three- or four-chambered what?
A: Stomach but does not "chew cud".
How thick is the skin of a hippo?
A: The skin is 15 cm (6 in) thick.
