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Pygmy Hippopotamus Female Skull
$363.00
The Pygmy Hippopotamus Inhabits swamps and riparian areas. They are primarily nocturnal, spending the day sleeping in the forest and feeding on aquatic vegetation at night.
- Description
- Additional information
Description
Pygmy Hippopotamus Female Skull Replica measures 13.6 inches. Pygmy Hippopotamus Female Skull is Museum quality Polyurethane cast made in the USA. 2-part skull (separate cranium and jaw). Cast of original California Academy of Sciences specimen. Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home décor skull, or office décor skull.
The Pygmy hippopotamus or Choeropis liberiensis is a small hippopotamid which is native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily in Liberia, with small populations in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast.
Pygmy Hippopotamus are reclusive and nocturnal. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being its much larger relative, the common Hippopotamus.
The Pygmy Hippopotamus displays many terrestrial adaptations, but like the hippo, it is semiaquatic and relies on water to keep its skin moist and its body temperature cool.
Pygmy Hippopotamus are herbivorous, feeding on ferns, broad-leaved plants, grasses, and fruits it finds in the forests.
They share the same general form as a hippopotamus. They have a graviportal skeleton, with four stubby legs and four toes on each foot, supporting a portly frame.
The pygmy hippo, however, is only half as tall as the hippopotamus and weighs less than 1/4 as much as its larger cousin.
Adult Pygmy hippos stand about 2.46–3.28 ft. high at the shoulder, are 4.92–5.74 ft. in length and weigh 397–606 lb. Their lifespan in captivity ranges from 30 to 55 years.
The Pygmy Hippopotamus or Choeropis liberiensis skin is greenish-black or brown, shading to a creamy gray on the lower body. Their skin is very similar to the common hippo’s, with a thin epidermis over a dermis that is several centimeters thick.
Pygmy hippos have the same unusual secretion as common hippos, that gives a pinkish tinge to their bodies, and is sometimes described as “blood sweat” though the secretion is neither sweat nor blood. This substance, hipposudoric acid, is believed to have antiseptic and sun-screening properties.
Pygmy Hippopotamus Facts:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Hippopotamidae
Genus: Hexaprotodon
Species: H. liberiensis
Binomial name: Hexaprotodon liberiensis
Conservation status: Endangered
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Additional information
| Weight | 9.3 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 13.6 in |
| World Hippopotamus Day - February 15 | Each year, World Hippo Day on February 15th provides a special day to celebrate the world’s third-largest mammal. It’s also a day to learn more about the hippopotamus. The Blue whale and the African elephant are the only two mammals in the world that are larger than the hippopotamus. The word hippo translates to river horse in ancient Greek. The giant animal weighs a whopping 8,000 pounds. There is only one continent in the world you can find a hippo. That continent is Africa. Hippos are native to over 30 countries in Africa. These herbivores live up to 50 years in the wild. There are only two species of hippos on the planet. These include the common hippopotamus and the pygmy hippo. |
