|
Home |
Day 5 - 8 | Day 9 - 12 | Day 13 - 17 | Day 18 - 21 | Trophy Room | Hunting Links | About Author |
Diary of an Africa Safari in Zambia, by Mr. Leslie E. Tassell
Hippopotamus
This large herbivorous, even toed hoofed mammal of the family Hippopotamidae. The common hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius is found in Africa. It averages over 13 ft/4 m long, 5 ft/1.5m high, weighs about 5 tons/4,500 kg, and has a brown or slate gray skin. It is an endangered species.
A social and gregarious animal, the hippopotamus spends the day wallowing in rivers or waterholes only emerging at night to graze. The pygmy hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis inhabits West Africa.
To the ancient Egyptians, the hippopotamus symbolized both evil and female fertility. Hippopotamus is greek for "river horse".
|
Home |
Day 5 - 8 | Day 9 - 12 | Day 13 - 17 | Day 18 - 21 | Trophy Room | Hunting Links | About Author |