Hippopotamus
Featured in: Year 1: Animals, including humans
Hippopotamus
Mammal
A huge, semi-aquatic mammal that eats plants and spends its days in rivers.
💡 Fun Facts
- Hippos spend most of their day in the water to stay cool, but they can't actually swim or float! They walk along the bottom.
- They secrete a red, oily substance that acts as natural sunscreen and moisturizer.
- They leave the water at dusk to graze on land.
Name Story
Hippopotamus amphibius
means “the river-horse that lives two lives”
What does its name mean?
- Hippopotamus — river horseGreek (hippos, 'horse' + potamos, 'river')
- amphibius — living a double life (on land and in water)Greek (amphi, 'both' + bios, 'life')
Its name describes its whole day: the "river horse" wallows in the water by day and grazes on land by night — living two lives at once. Here is the twist, though: it is no relation of the horse, and its closest living cousins are whales and dolphins.