Zvíře
Pygmy hippopotamus
A nocturnal herbivore of the humid forests and swamps of West Africa.
Jazyk obsahu
The pygmy hippopotamus comes from humid forests and swamps in West Africa. Its body is around 150-177 centimetres long, and it weighs 180-275 kilograms. The word pygmy therefore does not mean light or tiny on a human scale. It is nocturnal, so resting during the day fits its natural pattern of activity. In the forest it feeds on leafy plants and fruit.
Although it lives in wet habitats, it does not feed on aquatic plants. Its food comes from vegetation growing on land. It may spend around six hours a day feeding. Ears and nostrils that close help it submerge, protecting these openings from incoming water. This anatomy suits a life on the boundary between forest and wetlands.
The calm, rounded outline conceals large canine teeth capable of inflicting deep wounds. Pregnancy lasts 190-210 days. In human care these animals can reach 30-55 years of age, considerably longer than they usually live in the wild. This smaller relative of the common hippopotamus has a forest way of life of its own.
Pro děti
In the wild, pygmy hippos live in humid forests and swamps in West Africa. Although called pygmy, they weigh 180-275 kilograms. They are certainly not as small as a household pet. They are most active at night and often rest during the day.
These hippos eat leafy plants and fruit. They do not eat aquatic plants, even though water is an important part of their habitat. Searching for and eating food can occupy about six hours each day.
When diving, a pygmy hippo can close its ears and nostrils to keep water out. Its gentle-looking face hides powerful canine teeth. Hippos must therefore be watched from a safe place. The body reaches about a metre and a half in length, sometimes more. A baby develops inside its mother for 190-210 days.
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Which foods match the pygmy hippo’s diet?
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- Pygmy hippopotamus