Pygmy Hippopotamus

About

The pygmy hippopotamus is a rare and fascinating relative of the much larger common hippo, but it’s only about half their height and a fraction of their weight — standing around 75-100cm high at the shoulder, 150-175cm in length, and weighing between 180-275kg. Native to the dense forests and swamps of West Africa, particularly Liberia, this elusive creature is nocturnal and far more solitary than its larger cousin.

Unlike the common hippo, the pygmy hippo’s eyes and nostrils are much less pronounced, reflecting its more terrestrial lifestyle — though it’s still an excellent swimmer. They have the same unusual skin secretion as common hippos, a substance called "blood sweat" — though its neither blood or sweat. It's believed to have antiseptic and sunscreening properties.

With fewer than 2,500 pygmy hippos estimated in the wild, it is sadly endangered due to habitat destruction, as forests are logged and converted to farm land, and poaching.