{"id":3653,"date":"2019-07-27T15:27:00","date_gmt":"2019-07-27T22:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?p=3653"},"modified":"2025-07-30T22:19:52","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T05:19:52","slug":"meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the Hippopotamus: The River Giant with a Secret Wild Side"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-f3f71a7ebfeabcb9347446a4cb826ce2\">The hippopotamus, or simply <em>hippo<\/em>, is one of Africa\u2019s most iconic animals. With its rotund body, short legs, and enormous mouth, it may seem like a lumbering oddball \u2013 but don\u2019t be fooled. Hippos are full of surprises, from their secret speed to their surprising tempers.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s dive into the world of these semi-aquatic giants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is a Hippopotamus?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The name <em>hippopotamus<\/em> comes from Greek, meaning \u201criver horse.\u201d But despite the name, hippos are more closely related to whales and dolphins than to horses or cows. There are two species:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Common Hippopotamus (<em>Hippopotamus amphibius<\/em>)<\/strong> \u2013 The larger and better-known species found throughout sub-Saharan Africa.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-pygmy-hippopotamus-the-tiny-shy-cousin-of-the-river-giant\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"3707\">Pygmy Hippopotamus<\/a> (<em>Choeropsis liberiensis<\/em>)<\/strong> \u2013 A smaller, forest-dwelling cousin native to West Africa and much more elusive.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This post will focus on the common hippo, the heavyweight champ of African rivers and lakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Life in the Water<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hippos spend most of their day submerged in rivers, lakes, or swamps to keep cool under the blazing African sun. Their eyes, ears, and nostrils are all located on top of their heads, allowing them to see, hear, and breathe while almost completely underwater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At night, they emerge from the water to graze, often traveling miles on land to find enough grass. Despite their bulk, they can walk at a brisk pace and have been clocked at up to <strong>20 mph (32 km\/h)<\/strong> on land!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Massive and Mighty<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hippos are the <strong>third-largest land mammal<\/strong> \u2013 after elephants and white rhinos. Adult males can weigh up to <strong>3,500\u20134,000 pounds (1,600\u20131,800 kg)<\/strong>. Females are slightly smaller but still formidable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But their size isn\u2019t just for show. Hippos are <strong>one of the most dangerous animals in Africa<\/strong>, responsible for more human deaths than lions, elephants, or crocodiles. Why? Mostly because they\u2019re territorial and unpredictable \u2013 especially if they feel threatened or cornered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Don\u2019t Let the Yawn Fool You<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One of a hippo\u2019s most famous behaviors is opening its mouth wide in what looks like an exaggerated yawn. It\u2019s not about being sleepy: it\u2019s a <strong>warning display<\/strong>. That huge mouth can open up to <strong>150 degrees<\/strong> and reveal tusk-like teeth that can grow over a foot long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Hippos use these formidable teeth for fighting, especially males competing for dominance in the water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Social Life in the Pod<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hippos are social animals that live in groups called <strong>pods<\/strong>, <strong>bloats<\/strong>, or <strong>herds<\/strong>, usually consisting of around 10\u201330 individuals. One dominant male controls access to a territory and its females, while other males are tolerated only if they keep a low profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Communication happens through a mix of grunts, bellows, wheezes, and even <strong>underwater &#8220;clicks&#8221;<\/strong> that are still being studied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Unique Adaptations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Sunblock Skin<\/strong>: Hippo skin secretes a pinkish oily substance that acts like natural sunscreen and has antibacterial properties.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Aquatic Births<\/strong>: Females often give birth in shallow water, where the calf can surface for air but stay hidden from predators.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Amphibious Lifestyle<\/strong>: While they can\u2019t actually swim (they walk or bounce off the bottom), hippos are perfectly adapted for a life in the water.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conservation Status<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Although common hippos are still found in many African countries, their numbers are <strong>declining<\/strong> due to habitat loss and illegal hunting for ivory (from their teeth) and meat. They\u2019re currently listed as <strong>Vulnerable<\/strong> by the IUCN.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Pygmy hippos are even more at risk and are classified as <strong>Endangered<\/strong>, with only a few thousand remaining in the wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Final Thoughts<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Hippos may look like cartoonish couch potatoes, but they\u2019re fast, fierce, and surprisingly complex animals. Whether they\u2019re lounging in the water, defending their turf, or trotting across moonlit plains, hippos remain one of nature\u2019s most captivating contradictions: gentle herbivores with an edge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Fun Fact:<\/strong> Hippos can hold their breath for up to <strong>5 minutes<\/strong> and even <strong>sleep underwater<\/strong> \u2013 they automatically bob to the surface to breathe without waking up!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-black-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-689ca84a7be6371d87c8832ffeeb02b3\">Want more wild animal profiles? Stick around for posts on <a href=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/kings-of-the-reptile-realm-alligators-vs-crocodiles-vs-caimans\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1547\">crocodiles<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/giants-of-the-savannah-and-jungle-african-vs-asian-elephants\/\" data-type=\"post\" data-id=\"1521\">elephants<\/a>, and other <a href=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/tag\/african-animals\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/tag\/african-animals\/\">African neighbors<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">More photos below \u2193<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<script async src=\"https:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js?client=ca-pub-2571651847880215\"\n     crossorigin=\"anonymous\"><\/script>\n<!-- banner ad -->\n<ins class=\"adsbygoogle\"\n     style=\"display:block\"\n     data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-2571651847880215\"\n     data-ad-slot=\"7178535257\"\n     data-ad-format=\"auto\"\n     data-full-width-responsive=\"true\"><\/ins>\n<script>\n     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-jetpack-tiled-gallery aligncenter is-style-rectangular\"><div class=\"\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__gallery\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:66.35142%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3654\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/hippo-hippopotamus-animal-look-46540\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/hippo-hippopotamus-animal-look-46540.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1287\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Pixabay on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippos-in-water-46540\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;hippos in water&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"hippo-hippopotamus-animal-look-46540\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Pixabay on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippos-in-water-46540\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/hippo-hippopotamus-animal-look-46540-1024x701.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3654\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/hippo-hippopotamus-animal-look-46540\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/hippo-hippopotamus-animal-look-46540.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1287\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Pixabay on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippos-in-water-46540\/\\&quot; 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rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;black hipopotamus&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Pixabay on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/black-hipopotamus-68663\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663-1024x697.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 2 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1880&#038;ssl=1 1880w\" alt=\"black hipopotamus\" data-height=\"1279\" data-id=\"3655\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3655\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663.jpeg\" data-width=\"1880\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/river-horse-hippopotamus-hippo-animal-68663.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3656\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-27938512\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1245\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Leon Aschemann on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/afrikanische-tierwelt-flusspferde-in-ihrem-element-27938512\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;afrikanische tierwelt flusspferde in ihrem element&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-27938512\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Leon Aschemann on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/afrikanische-tierwelt-flusspferde-in-ihrem-element-27938512\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512-1024x678.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3656\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-27938512\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1245\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Leon Aschemann on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/afrikanische-tierwelt-flusspferde-in-ihrem-element-27938512\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;afrikanische tierwelt flusspferde in ihrem element&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-27938512\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Leon Aschemann on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/afrikanische-tierwelt-flusspferde-in-ihrem-element-27938512\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512-1024x678.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 3 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1880&#038;ssl=1 1880w\" alt=\"afrikanische tierwelt flusspferde in ihrem element\" data-height=\"1245\" data-id=\"3656\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3656\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg\" data-width=\"1880\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938512.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:68.49174%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3657\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-27938514\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1245\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Leon Aschemann on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/wasserbewohner-flusspferde-in-der-savanne-27938514\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;wasserbewohner flusspferde in der savanne&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-27938514\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Leon Aschemann on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/wasserbewohner-flusspferde-in-der-savanne-27938514\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514-1024x678.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3657\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-27938514\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1245\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Leon Aschemann on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/wasserbewohner-flusspferde-in-der-savanne-27938514\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;wasserbewohner flusspferde in der savanne&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-27938514\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Leon Aschemann on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/wasserbewohner-flusspferde-in-der-savanne-27938514\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514-1024x678.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 4 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1880&#038;ssl=1 1880w\" alt=\"wasserbewohner flusspferde in der savanne\" data-height=\"1245\" data-id=\"3657\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3657\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg\" data-width=\"1880\" src=\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-27938514.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:31.50826%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3658\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-5715383\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715383.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"901,1300\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/portrait-of-hippo-on-grass-field-5715383\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;portrait of hippo on grass field&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-5715383\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/portrait-of-hippo-on-grass-field-5715383\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715383-710x1024.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3658\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-5715383\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715383.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"901,1300\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/portrait-of-hippo-on-grass-field-5715383\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;portrait of hippo on grass field&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-5715383\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/portrait-of-hippo-on-grass-field-5715383\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715383-710x1024.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 5 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715383.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715383.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715383.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=901&#038;ssl=1 901w\" alt=\"portrait of hippo on grass field\" data-height=\"1300\" data-id=\"3658\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3658\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715383.jpeg\" data-width=\"901\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715383.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:31.41516%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3659\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-5715384\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1253\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippo-on-grass-field-5715384\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;hippo on grass field&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-5715384\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippo-on-grass-field-5715384\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384-1024x682.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3659\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-5715384\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1253\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippo-on-grass-field-5715384\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;hippo on grass field&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-5715384\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippo-on-grass-field-5715384\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384-1024x682.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 6 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1880&#038;ssl=1 1880w\" alt=\"hippo on grass field\" data-height=\"1253\" data-id=\"3659\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3659\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg\" data-width=\"1880\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5715384.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:37.16967%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3660\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-32331899\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1058\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Tomasz Dworczyk - Podr\\u00f3\\u017c za Milion Zdj\\u0119\\u0107 on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippopotamus-and-calf-by-riverbank-in-tanzania-32331899\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;hippopotamus and calf by riverbank in tanzania&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-32331899\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Tomasz Dworczyk &amp;#8211; Podr\u00f3\u017c za Milion Zdj\u0119\u0107 on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippopotamus-and-calf-by-riverbank-in-tanzania-32331899\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899-1024x576.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3660\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-32331899\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1058\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Tomasz Dworczyk - Podr\\u00f3\\u017c za Milion Zdj\\u0119\\u0107 on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippopotamus-and-calf-by-riverbank-in-tanzania-32331899\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;hippopotamus and calf by riverbank in tanzania&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-32331899\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Tomasz Dworczyk &amp;#8211; Podr\u00f3\u017c za Milion Zdj\u0119\u0107 on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippopotamus-and-calf-by-riverbank-in-tanzania-32331899\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899-1024x576.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 7 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1880&#038;ssl=1 1880w\" alt=\"hippopotamus and calf by riverbank in tanzania\" data-height=\"1058\" data-id=\"3660\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3660\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg\" data-width=\"1880\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-32331899.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:31.41516%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3661\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-5127351\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1253\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippos-and-crocodile-on-riverbank-5127351\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;hippos and crocodile on riverbank&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-5127351\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippos-and-crocodile-on-riverbank-5127351\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351-1024x682.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3661\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-5127351\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1253\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippos-and-crocodile-on-riverbank-5127351\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;hippos and crocodile on riverbank&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-5127351\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Roger Brown on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/hippos-and-crocodile-on-riverbank-5127351\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351-1024x682.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 8 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1880&#038;ssl=1 1880w\" alt=\"hippos and crocodile on riverbank\" data-height=\"1253\" data-id=\"3661\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3661\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg\" data-width=\"1880\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-5127351.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__row\"><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:52.29058%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3662\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-7211338\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1141\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Francesco Ungaro on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/wild-hippopotamuses-swimming-in-river-in-nature-7211338\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;wild hippopotamuses swimming in river in nature&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-7211338\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Francesco Ungaro on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/wild-hippopotamuses-swimming-in-river-in-nature-7211338\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338-1024x621.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3662\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-7211338\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1141\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by Francesco Ungaro on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/wild-hippopotamuses-swimming-in-river-in-nature-7211338\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;wild hippopotamuses swimming in river in nature&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-7211338\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by Francesco Ungaro on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/wild-hippopotamuses-swimming-in-river-in-nature-7211338\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338-1024x621.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 9 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1880&#038;ssl=1 1880w\" alt=\"wild hippopotamuses swimming in river in nature\" data-height=\"1141\" data-id=\"3662\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3662\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg\" data-width=\"1880\" src=\"https:\/\/i1.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-7211338.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><div class=\"tiled-gallery__col\" style=\"flex-basis:47.70942%\"><figure class=\"tiled-gallery__item\"><img decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"3663\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-13252415\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1251\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by David Guerrero on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/a-hippopotamus-underwater-13252415\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;a hippopotamus underwater&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-13252415\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by David Guerrero on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/a-hippopotamus-underwater-13252415\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415-1024x681.jpeg\" data-attachment-id=\"3663\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/meet-the-hippopotamus-the-river-giant-with-a-secret-wild-side\/pexels-photo-13252415\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg\" data-orig-size=\"1880,1251\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Photo by David Guerrero on &lt;a href=\\&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/a-hippopotamus-underwater-13252415\/\\&quot; rel=\\&quot;nofollow\\&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;a hippopotamus underwater&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"pexels-photo-13252415\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Photo by David Guerrero on &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.pexels.com\/photo\/a-hippopotamus-underwater-13252415\/&quot; rel=&quot;nofollow&quot;&gt;Pexels.com&lt;\/a&gt;&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415-1024x681.jpeg\" role=\"button\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Open image 10 of 10 in full-screen\"srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=600&#038;ssl=1 600w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=900&#038;ssl=1 900w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1200&#038;ssl=1 1200w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1500&#038;ssl=1 1500w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1800&#038;ssl=1 1800w,https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg?strip=info&#038;w=1880&#038;ssl=1 1880w\" alt=\"a hippopotamus underwater\" data-height=\"1251\" data-id=\"3663\" data-link=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/?attachment_id=3663\" data-url=\"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg\" data-width=\"1880\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-13252415.jpeg?ssl=1\" data-amp-layout=\"responsive\"\/><\/figure><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Disclaimer:<\/strong>&nbsp;This blog post is for edutainment purposes only and may not be entirely accurate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The hippopotamus, or simply hippo, is one of Africa\u2019s most iconic animals. With its rotund body, short legs, and enormous mouth, it may seem like a lumbering oddball \u2013 but&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3664,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[24],"tags":[44,26,42,95,31],"class_list":["post-3653","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-animal-bytes","tag-african-animals","tag-animal-facts","tag-conservation","tag-endangered-animals","tag-wild-animals"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/pexels-photo-17653396.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3653","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3653"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3653\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3721,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3653\/revisions\/3721"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3664"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3653"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3653"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/animalpages.com\/animals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3653"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}