Pygmy Hippo Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

The name hippopotamus derives from the Greek for 'river horse,' which is an appropriate descriptor for the pygmy hippo as it spends the majority of its time in rivers or swamps.

The 8th of April is celebrated as Pygmy Hippo Day to raise awareness about this endangered species. A pygmy hippopotamus is a diminutive relative of the hippopotamus. They are an endangered species that is quickly becoming extinct. There are approximately 2,000 pygmy hippos left in the globe, the majority of which are located in Ivory Coast, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. Pygmy hippos are approximately half the dimensions of a full-sized hippo and weigh less than a quarter of a full-sized hippo. It is believed that they diverged from the common hippo approximately 10 million years ago.

The background of Pygmy Hippo Day

The name hippopotamus derives from the Greek for ‘river horse,’ which is an appropriate descriptor for the pygmy hippo as it spends the majority of its time in rivers or swamps. There are only two hippopotamus species remaining in the world. One is the large, powerful amphibious hippopotamus, while the other is the smaller, more terrestrial hexaprotodon liberiensis pygmy hippo. In contrast, fossil records indicate that there were a far greater number of species that were dispersed over a much larger area than those currently associated with hippos.

In 1852, it was determined that the pygmy hippos were distinct enough to warrant their own genus, Choeropsis. In the 1990s, the pygmy hippo came to be viewed as the surviving member of the Hexaprotodon radiation, after it was discovered in the 1970s that they were comparable to the fossil hippos included in Hexaprotodon.

The earliest fossils of modern hippos, clade Hippopotamine within the Hippopotamidae, were discovered in the Upper Miocene of eastern Africa. Archaic hippos, which are distinct from crown groups, do extend the record further back. Kenyapotamus is known from the middle and upper Miocene of Kenya, Tunisia, and Ethiopia, and two additional Lower Miocene taxa are known from Kenya: Morotochoerus from Uganda and Kulutherium.

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PYGMY HIPPO DAY ACTIVITIES

Examine

The hippopotamus and the factors that imperil their survival. Read about how we can make their lives easier.

Spread knowledge

Raise awareness about the practise that endangers the lives of hippos. Encourage vigilance and the creation of petitions.

Volunteer

Volunteer to assist in any way feasible. Donate your time and money to save the lives of hippos.

5 INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HIPPOPOTAMUS

Herbivorous hippos consume an average of 80 pounds of vegetation per day.

They are the third-largest mammals on the planet, following Elephants and White Rhinos.

The majority of hippos’ activities, such as foraging, occur at night.

Their enormous scale creates microhabitats for smaller organisms, and by repeatedly traversing common pathways from water sources to land, they create habitats for fish.

On average, they can retain their breath for five minutes.