South African hippos are large, semi-aquatic mammals found in rivers, lakes, and wetlands, now concentrated in provinces like KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and reintroduced in the Eastern and Western Cape. They are herbivorous, spending their days in water and grazing at night, and are considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa due to their aggressive and unpredictable nature, particularly when feeling threatened.
Habitat and distribution
Current locations: Primarily found in KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga, and Limpopo.
Reintroduced areas: They have been reintroduced into the Eastern and Western Cape provinces.
Habitat preference: They prefer deep bodies of water and slow-moving rivers with shallow banks, but are also found in lakes and mangrove swamps.
Behavior and lifestyle
Daily routine: Hippos spend the day in the water to stay cool, emerging at dusk to graze on grass for several hours, sometimes traveling many miles from the water's edge.
Social structure: They are gregarious, often living in groups called pods or schools of five to 20 individuals, which can increase to larger numbers in the dry season when water is scarce.
Breeding: Calves are born in the water after a gestation period of about 240 days and can swim immediately. The mother will initially hide her newborn in reeds for a few days.
Danger and conservation
Dangerous animals: Hippos are known to be highly aggressive and are responsible for more human fatalities in Africa than most other large animals, often due to feeling threatened.
Threats: Habitat loss and poaching for meat and ivory are the biggest threats to hippos.
Conservation status: The hippopotamus is listed as a vulnerable species by the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
