Point of interest
Pygmy hippopotamus
A secretive West African forest mammal whose life spans land and water.
Content language
Pygmy hippos inhabit the humid forests of West Africa. They stay near streams and wetlands, using places such as hollows in riverbanks for shelter. They travel through dense vegetation along well-worn paths that sometimes resemble tunnels. They spend more time on land than their much larger relatives, common hippos, although water remains an important part of their habitat.
They usually live alone or in pairs. Activity generally peaks around dusk and at night, but they may also move about during daylight. This secretive forest lifestyle makes wild pygmy hippos difficult to observe.
They are herbivores, eating shoots, roots and rhizomes, the underground stems of plants. Pregnancy lasts about 200 days and usually produces a single calf. Caring for a calf is one of the periods when this usually solitary mammal remains in close company with another individual.
For children
The pygmy hippo lives in the forests of West Africa. It is a smaller relative of the common hippo, not a baby version of it. It is a separate species. In its natural home, it spends plenty of time on land near streams and wetlands. It follows paths through thick plants that look like green tunnels.
It usually goes looking for food in the evening or at night. It eats plants, including roots and underground stems. Pygmy hippos usually live alone, but mothers care for their young. Pregnancy lasts about 200 days and normally produces one calf. During the day, adults often rest in hiding places near water.
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