Sierra Leone’s Amazing Pygmy Hippos!
On those days when it’s grey and rainy outside, sometimes we just need a little pygmy hippo magic to turn that frown upside down!
These miniature chubby mammals are one of the iconic wildlife species in Sierra Leone, together with chimpanzees, our national animal. They are hard to spot in the wild – you can try your luck in Sierra Leone’s national parks and protected areas like Tiwai Island.
Or else, you can see pygmy hippos at many zoos around the world – for example, you can visit Toni at Berlin Zoo, and Internet sensation Moo Deng at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand.
Meanwhile, here are 7 curious facts about pygmy hippos!
- Pygmy hippos are very rare, and if you do get to see one in the wild, consider yourself lucky! There are only 2500 pygmy hippos left in the wild, and over 130,000 common hippos.
- Pygmy hippos were virtually unknown outside West Africa until the late 19th century, when they started being captured to be put on display in zoos.
- Even though pygmy hippos look like miniature versions of common hippos, they actually belong to a different genus. Their feet are less webbed and they have a slightly different appearance, with a rounder, shorter snout.
- Just like common hippos, pygmy hippos spend a lot of time in water because otherwise their skin cracks and breaks. They also produce a pinkish secretion called “blood sweat” that protects their skin from sunlight and bacteria.
- Pygmy hippo babies put weight on very quickly! They only weigh 5 kilos at birth, and nurse for 8 months. At one month, baby hippos weigh 3 times their body weight, and at 5 months, their weight has increased 10 times!
- Pygmy hippos are nocturnal animals and spend most of their lives alone, unlike common hippos who are very sociable and live in large groups.
- Pygmy hippos swim very fast, but they are also very fast runners, reaching speeds of approximately 25 km/h!
