Hippopotamas

The common even-toed ungulate (Hippopotamus amphibius), or hippo, is a large, largely anthophilous craniate in Sub-Saharan Africa, and one in every of solely 2 existent species within the mammal family, the opposite being the pygmy even-toed ungulate (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis). The name comes from the traditional Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος). when the elephant and perissodactyl mammal, the common {hippopotamus|hippo|river horse|Hippopotamus amphibius|even-toed ungulate|artiodactyl|artiodactyl craniate} is that the third-largest kind of land mammal and also the heaviest existent artiodactyl. Despite their physical similitude to pigs and alternative terrestrial artiodactylous ungulates, the nearest living relatives of the Hippopotamidae area unit cetaceans (whales, porpoises, etc.) from that they diverged concerning fifty five million years agone. The common relative of whales and hippos split from alternative artiodactylous ungulates around sixty million years agone. The earliest better-known even-toed ungulate fossils, happiness to the genus Kenyapotamus in Africa, date to around sixteen million years agone.

Despite its thick form and short legs, it's capable of running thirty km/h (19 mph) over short distances. The even-toed ungulate could be a extremely aggressive and unpredictable animal and is hierarchic among the foremost dangerous animals in Africa.Even so, they're still vulnerable by environment loss and cookery for his or her meat and ivory canine teeth.

The common even-toed ungulate is semiaquatic, inhabiting rivers, lakes and angiospermous tree swamps, wherever territorial bulls command over a stretch of stream and teams of 5 to thirty females and young. throughout the day, they continue to be cool by staying within the water or mud; copy and vaginal birth each occur in water. They emerge at crepuscle to graze on grasses. whereas hippopotamuses rest close to one another within the water, grazing could be a solitary activity and hippos aren't territorial ashore.Three species of Malagasy even-toed ungulate became extinct throughout the Holocene on Madagascar, one in every of them at intervals the past one,000 years. The Malagasy hippos were smaller than the trendy even-toed ungulate, seemingly through the method of insular inherited disease.Fossil proof indicates several Malagasy hippos were afraid by humans, a probable consider their ultimate extinction.Isolated members of Malagasy even-toed ungulate could have survived in remote pockets; in 1976, villagers delineated  a living animal referred to as the kilopilopitsofy, which can are a Malagasy even-toed ungulate.