Pygmy Hippopotamus
Description:Pygmy hippos, related to River Hippos, are animals found in the fresh waters and tropical rainforests found in Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sierra Leone. They rest in swamps, ponds, and rivers to keep their skin moist and healthy throughout the day. Although Pygmy Hippos and River Hippos are closely related, there are several differences between the two. One difference between them being their size (which explains why Pygmy Hippos are called just that; for being a smaller version of River Hippos). Pygmy Hippos also have smaller, more narrow heads.
AdaptionsPygmy Hippos are better adapted for land, due to their longer legs and less webbed feet. This makes them less aquatic than their bigger relative, although they still have adaptations that let them live in the water (ears and nose that can close when underwater). Pygmy Hippos have one pair of incisors, and large males can have canines reaching in 20 cm of length. They use these canines as a method of protection; both to defend themselves and their territories. The length and formation of their hind legs make it possible for these hippos to reach food higher up in trees when they stand on those hind legs.
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Taxonomic Classification:Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Artiodactyla Family: Hippopotamidae Genus: Choeropsis Species: C. liberiensis source
In the picture above, a young Pygmy Hippo is feeding on leaves. Pygmy Hippos are herbivores. Their primary foods are roots, grasses, shoots and fruits. These hippos acquire these foods by searching for them on the forest floor and in swamps. |
Habitat Comparison
The zoo enclosure at the Toronto Zoo is very small, although it has most of the necessities that their natural habitats provide. Pygmy hippos live near ponds, swamps and rivers and this pygmy hippo in captivity is provided with a small pond as well. The pond at the zoo has small fish and turtles in them, which provides them a sense of their natural habitat since ponds in the wild would have other types of life in them. One thing that this pond lacks is mud, which can help the hippos stay cool during the summer and shelter them from the sun. Other than the pond, this enclosure has an adequate amount of trees and is similar to a riverbank.