Common Hippo

On the way to the African Village, make sure you look out for our pod of wallowing hippos. We have the largest pod in the UK, and there is a chance to learn all about their different personalities at the daily Hippo Talks.

Did you know, when a hippo ‘yawns’, it is not a sign of tiredness, but actually an aggressive gesture used as a warning or a signal before a potential fight? These impressive animals are far more powerful than they may first appear.

Common hippos are one of Africa’s largest land mammals, with the biggest individuals weighing up to 3,000 kilograms – roughly the same as two family cars! Despite their size, they are surprisingly agile in water and have developed clever ways of coping with their environment.

When basking, hippos secrete an oily, pink substance that acts as a natural sunscreen and helps protect their skin from the harsh African sun. Although they spend much of their time in water, they cannot actually swim; instead, they move by pushing themselves along riverbeds and lakebeds, and can even sleep underwater while surfacing automatically to breathe.

At night, hippos leave the water to graze on grass, travelling across land when temperatures are cooler. Found throughout sub-Saharan Africa, these remarkable animals are perfectly adapted to a life split between land and water.