Joel Hendon

The Little Known West African Pygmy Hippopotamus


Posted: Monday, September 19, 2011

by Joel Hendon
http://hebronics.org/index.html

Many have never heard of the pygmy hippos whose primary location is in Western Africa and specifically the Ivory Coast (Cote d‘Ivoire), Liberia and Sierra Leone areas. They are on of only two types of hippopotamuses still extant. There have been a number of others in ages past.

Pygmy Hippopotamus skullThis West African Hippo is smaller and has considerably different habits than that of the regular hippopotamus but they are unmistakably the same family. These pygmies are around 31 inches high at the shoulder, and average about 5-6 feet long, weighing up to 600 pounds. (Pygmy Hippo Skull-Wikipedia)

These hippos’ bodies secrete a pink like sweat which is sometimes referred to as ”blood sweat” but we are told it is neither blood or sweat. It is a very alkaline secretion which is thought to have antiseptic and sun screening properties. The hippo’s skin dries out rapidly and cracks, which is why both species of them spend as much time in water as they can.

This smaller hippo also has different habits. They are primarily nocturnal in nature, Perhaps part of this is due to their skin problem. The hot African Sun can dry their skin out quickly and cause painful cracking. These spend most of their daytime ours in shallow water or in depressions in banks of creeks and rivers right at the water level. Then at night they forage for food.

The large common hippopotamus is gregarious whereas the pygmy is more of a loner. They are primarily seen alone except for mating pairs or a mother an calf. Like cattle, they are referred to as a bull, cow or calf.

Also where the large hippos are known to often fight when confronted by another, the pygmy prefers to simply ignore another when they meet. The critters also each have their own territory. Bulls normally claim a larger area than the cows. They mark their territory with their droppings.

The pygmy hippo is a herbivore. Even though they stay in water a lot, they do not eat a lot of water vegetation. Mostly their diet is ferns and broadleaf plants plus forest fruits which have fallen from the trees.

Mating is done in the water or on land as is the giving birth. The gestation period ranges from 190 to 210 days and normally only one calf is born, although twins are sometimes born. At birth, the young does not leave and follow the mother but hides in the water’s edge where the mother returns and calls her calf to suckle. Weaning occurs sometime between 4 and 6 months.(Mating pair in German Zoo-Wikipedia)

No studies have been made in the wild as to what the average age reached by these pygmies but in captivity it ranges from 40 to 55 years. It is suspected the average in the wild is somewhat less, due to some scarceness of food and also because some animals do kill the smaller hippos for food. Hunters, also may kill one if they come upon it, but do not normally hunt them specifically. Their flesh is reportedly delicious.  
Author Biography: Joel Hendon was born near Gadsden Alabama. He attended public schools in Cherokee County, Alabama and after serving a tour of duty in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, attended Jacksonville State University, majoring in Business Administration. He became a Christian in 1948, and although he followed secular work as a career and retired from Allied Signal Aerospace, he is an avid student of the Holy Bible and related works as well as biblical history. He has an extensive website of conservative religious and political articles.http://hebronics.org/index.html

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