Range

Africa is the native home of the pygmy hippo. The majority of the population lives in Liberia with small populations also inhabiting Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Sierra Leone.

A former population in Nigeria is now extinct.

Their range does not overlap with that of the related river hippo.

Habitat

They make their home in primary and secondary forests near a watercourse such as a river or stream. Some can also be found in gallery forests, woodlands and savanna.

Both males and females form a home territory which is marked using dung.

Reproduction

Pygmy hippos may mate on land or in the water. Males which hold the largest territory experience the largest reproductive success. A male is usually nearby when the female is ready to mate.

They give birth on land following a 6-7 month gestation. They will give birth to a single calf. At birth the calf weighs 3.4-6.4kg (7.5-14lbs).

For the first few weeks of life the calf is tucked away in a bush while the mother goes off to feed.

Growth is quick and by five months old they are already 10 times their birth weight.

Weaning takes place from six to eight months old.

Sexual maturity takes place between four and five years old.

Behavior

They make a range of vocalizations. These include a low grunt or high pitched squeak though often they are silent. When alarmed they let out their breath with a loud huff.

When swimming the eyes and ears of the pygmy hippo will close over to prevent water entry.

Pygmy hippos are primarily nocturnal. Most of the day is spent submerged in the water.

They spend most of the year alone and only come together to mate.

Predators and Threats

Few predators are capable of taking down pygmy hippos. The main threats are the leopard and the Nile crocodile. Young may be preyed upon by African golden cats, African civets and African rock pythons.

To deter predators they will yawn at potential predators to show their large teeth and scare them off. They may also rear or lunge at a predator. They are shy and prepare to flee rather than fight.

The population of pymgy hippos is estimated to be as low as 3,000. The suffer from habitat loss and hunting for the bushmeat trade.

Quick facts

The closet relative of hippos is whales.

A tire mogul who owned a rubber plantation in Liberia presented a pygmy hippo to US President Calvin Coolidge. This hippo was housed at a zoo in the US and most pygmy hippos now housed in the country are somewhat related to him.

Pygmy hippos were not known to western science until the 1840s.

The name hippo comes from the greek words for ‘river horse.’

In African folklore it is believed that the pygmy hippo carries a diamond its mouth to light their path and if you catch on at night you can take the diamond.