Pygmy Hippos

 

Pygmy Hippos 

 Pygmy hippos are rare and native to West Africa, mainly found in Liberia main population, Sierra Leone, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Small numbers in Nigeria.

Pygmy Hippos Size: Around 1.5 to 1.75 feet tall at the shoulder, Weight: 180–275 kg are shy, solitary, mostly nocturnal.

 Pygmy Hippos diet

Pygmy hippos are herbivores, their diet includes Ferns and leaves, Fruits and roots, Shrubs and grasses.

Pygmy hippos feed mostly at night and forage alone.

Pygmy hippos don’t graze underwater like common hippos instead they walk through forests.

  Pygmy Hippos sightings

1. Sapo National Park – Liberia

Sapo park best place in the wild to see pygmy hippos, dense rainforest home to other rare species too.

2. Tai National Park – Ivory Coast

Tai Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, guided wildlife tours may include pygmy hippo sightings.

3. Zoos & Wildlife Parks for sightings pygmy hippos

Pygmy hippos are kept and bred in zoos for conservation, notable places include –

 North America

San Diego Zoo, California, USA

Cincinnati Zoo, Ohio, USA

Smithsonian National Zoo, Washington, D.C.

  Europe

London Zoo, UK

Berlin Zoo, Germany

ZooParc de Beauval, France

 Asia

Singapore Zoo

Beijing Zoo, China

 Australia

Melbourne Zoo, Victoria

Conservation Status

IUCN Status: Endangered

Threats: Deforestation, habitat loss, hunting

Estimated wild population: Fewer than 2,500 individuals