What is World Hippo Day?
Each year, World Hippo Day on February 15th marks the world's third-largest mammal.. It's also a day to learn more about the hippopotamus.
The blue whale and the African elephant are the only two mammals in the world that are larger than the hippopotamus. In ancient Greek, the word hippo refers to a river horse. The giant animal weighs in at 8,000 pounds. You can find a hippo on only one continent in the world. Africa is the continent of Africa. Hippos are native to over 30 countries in Africa. These herbivores can live up to 50 years in the wild. There are only two species of hippos on the planet. The common hippopotamus and the pygmy hippo are among the hippo's listed.
Here are some more interesting facts about the hippopotamus.
- They keep an oily red powder on their skin that acts as sunblock and a moisturizer
