Nicknamed “river horse” by the Greeks, this semi-aquatic giant can stay underwater for up to 6 minutes. It has raised eyes and nose, which allows it to take in air and see what is happening on the surface, keeping most of its body submerged.

The common hippopotamus spends much of its life underwater and increases its activity at night, when it goes ashore to graze. Due to their amphibious nature, males do not defend a portion of land, but rather a few hundred meters from the shores of the lakes and rivers where they live. Gregarious but not social, the males compete among themselves to dominate the herd, using their long lower fangs as weapons.

Considered one of the most dangerous animals in Africa and despite its herbivorous diet, the common hippopotamus is the one that causes the most human deaths on this continent. This is one of the reasons why it is threatened, in addition to hunting for its meat and ivory teeth. Its population has decreased dramatically in the last 15 years. In some places, such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo, conservation plans involve trying to promote the well-being of human populations and the local economy. In addition, reproduction protocols are established in zoos in order to reintroduce the species into its natural habitat.