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Showing posts from June 5, 2017

Hippopotamus means river horse in the Greek language!

Did you know that Hippopotamus means river horse in the Greek language?  The Greeks choose this name since these enormous animals can spend 16 hours a day in lakes, rivers, or swamps. A group of playful hippopotamuses in the river Some more interesting Hippopotamus trivia facts: Hippopotamuses can weigh up to 4 tons and feed mainly on grass, fallen fruit, and sugar cane.  They are the 3rd largest land mammal after the elephant and white rhinoceros. If threatened, hippopotamuses can easily outrun a human at 19 miles per hour, in spite of their chubby appearance.   Hippopotamuses produces loud noises that can be heard for several miles and sounds like roaring lions! The Swahili name for a hippopotamus is Kiboko. The gestation period for a female hippopotamus is 240 days. Hippopotamus amphibius is the scientific name for the Hippopotamus. They are thought as one of the most deadliest animals in Africa, since approximately 3,000 people are killed annually on the