The Amazing Hippopotamus

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Hippopotamuses are very fascinating animals to study and observe. With their semiaquatic lifestyle, they appear to be more closely related to whales than other hoofed mammals. Their ability to be versatile in their habitats helps protects them against different dangers that they face. During this research paper I learned many facts about hippopotamuses that I was not previously aware of.

The hippopotamus is a part of the Animalia kingdom and from that it branches into being a part of the phylum, Chordata. They fall into the Mammalia class which flows into the order of Artiodactyla. The hippopotamus belongs to the Hippopotamidea family. The genus they belong to is the Hippopotamus. The species they belong to is H. Amphibious. (Burnie, David & Don E. Wilson, 2011) The pygmy hippopotamus, while it belongs to the same family, falls into a different genus than the common hippopotamus. While the pygmy hippopotamus has a rounded skeleton adapted for spending a majority of the time on land, the common hippopotamus has a spine parallel to the ground which is adapted to spending more time in the water. Also the feet of the common hippopotamus are wider, with more webbing than the pygmy hippopotamus whose feet are narrower for walking on the forest floor. Both the pygmy and common hippopotamus have common traits in their skin that requires a majority of their time to be spent in water to prevent drying and cracking. (“Pygmy Hippopotamus”)

Hippopotamus have many characteristics that help them survive in the environment they live in, found mainly along the lakes, rivers, and swamps of Africa. Their eyes, ears, and nostrils are located along the top of their head which allows them to be under water for long periods of time. Hippopotamuses...

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...ail/hippopotamus>.

"Hippopotamus Habitat." Hippopotamus Facts and Information. Hippo Worlds, 2009. Web. 26 Feb. 2012. .

"Hippopotamus." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 26 Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .

Pearce, Fred. "Poaching Causes Hippo Population Crash." - Environment. 29 Aug. 2003. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .

"Pygmy Hippopotamus." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .

Shefferly, Nancy. "Hippopotamus Amphibiushippopotamus." ADW: Hippopotamus Amphibius: INFORMATION. Animal Diversity Web. Web. 27 Feb. 2012. .

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