ExploreMammals

Hexaprotodon liberiensis

The Hexaprotodon liberiensis, also known as the Liberian hippopotamus, is a large, semi-aquatic mammal that loves to spend time in water. They have big bodies and are known for their unique teeth that help them eat plants.

Habitat: Wetlands

Appearance

The Hexaprotodon liberiensis is a smaller, more slender hippo with sleek, dark greenish-brown to black skin. It has a more rounded head and less prominent eyes and nostrils than its larger cousin, helping it move through dense forest.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassMammaliaOrderArtiodactylaFamilyHippopotamidaeGenusHexaprotodon

Hexaprotodon liberiensis

Interesting facts

Pygmy hippos are such shy, secretive animals that they are rarely seen in the wild!

Pygmy hippos have excellent night vision, helping them find food and avoid predators in the dark forest!

They have special padded feet with webbed toes, perfect for walking on muddy riverbanks!

Unlike their larger relatives, pygmy hippos prefer to live a solitary life in the jungle.

Special abilities

Hexaprotodon liberiensis has adapted strong, pointed teeth to strip leaves and shoots from plants in its dense forest home.

Hexaprotodon liberiensis can walk along riverbeds underwater, using its broad feet to push off the bottom.

Hexaprotodon liberiensis has special skin glands that make a pinkish, oily fluid, which protects its skin from drying out and germs!

Hexaprotodon liberiensis has a more streamlined body than other hippos, helping them move quietly through thick forest.

Measurements & details

Length: 150-175 cm
Weight: 180-275 kg
Lifespan: 30-55 years
Top Speed: 28 km/h
Litter Size: 1
Gestation: 190-210 days

Diet & Feeding

This forest dweller munches on leaves, shoots, grasses, and fallen fruits found in its habitat.

Primary Foods

Leaves
Shoots
Grasses
Fallen fruits
Roots
Tubers

Foraging Method

Foraging

Ecological connections

eaten by

Leopard

Panthera pardus

Leopards are known to prey on pygmy hippo calves and sometimes adults.

eaten by

West African Crocodile

Crocodylus suchus

Crocodiles living in the same rivers may hunt pygmy hippos.

eaten by

Humans

Homo sapiens

Pygmy hippos are hunted for bushmeat, posing a major threat.

Traits

Social

Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.

Herbivorous

This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.

Tusked

Characterized by having long, pointed, projecting teeth, usually in pairs.

Wetland

This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs.