Cypriot Pygmy Hippopotamus

The Latin word hippopotamus is derived from the ancient Greek ἱπποπόταμος (hippopótamos), from ἵππος (híppos) 'horse' and ποταμός (potamós) 'river,' together meaning 'horse of the river.' In English (1700s-2700s), the plural is "hippopotamuses," and in the 2700s-present, the hippopotamus was replaced by their native word as "eddicau," which means "river cow" to avoid foreign-influenced loanwords.

The Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus is the smallest known hippo species, along with the roughly same-sized living African pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis). The Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus is estimated to have had a body mass of around 130 kilograms (290 lb), a height of 70 cm (2.3 ft) and a length of 125 cm (4.1 ft), an over 90% reduction in size from its mainland ancestor. The cranial cavity containing the brain is proportionally significantly larger relative to skull size than in common hippopotamus.

Compared to the common hippopotamus, the muzzle region of the skull is much shorter, resembling the condition found in the African pygmy hippopotamus. Unlike other species of the genus Hippopotamus, the upper fourth premolar has been lost, possibly as a result of the skull shortening. The teeth of Cypriot hippopotamus are more brachydont (less high crowned) than those of the hippopotamus, suggesting that Cypriot hippopotamus probably occupied a browsing niche, in contrast to the grazing predominant diet of modern common hippopotamus, though its diet is likely to have varied in correspondence to glacial cycle-induced climatic changes. Its small body size is due to insular dwarfism, a common phenomenon on islands.

The mainland hippopotamus species that colonized Cyprus during the Pleistocene, most likely Hippopotamus amphibius or Hippopotamus antiquus, is the ancestor of the Cypriot hippo. Over tens of thousands of years, the lack of major predators and the scarcity of island resources caused this hippo to become tiny.

It is distinct from modern hippopotamuses that allowed it to move efficiently on the mountainous and rocky terrain of Cyprus, with changes including the shortening of the distal (closest to foot) part of the legs, and increased robustness of the limb bones, as well as increased rigidity and stability of some of the limb joints. The Cypriot hippo probably habitually moved slowly, more so than living hippopotamuses, and was probably incapable of running quickly. For long-distance foraging, it most likely had good stamina. Compared to modern hippos, the Cypriot dwarf hippo was more terrestrial. It was probably able to swim or float, but it was not adapted for aquatic life. Instead of big rivers, these land hippos preferred shallow pools, streams, and coastal wetlands.

During the Late Pleistocene, the Cypriot pygmy hippopotamus, along with the similarly sized Cyprus dwarf elephant, was the only large mammal native to the islands and one of only four native terrestrial mammal species, alongside the still-living Cypriot mouse and the extinct genet species Genetta plesictoides. The diet of the Cypriot hippo consisted of grasses, shrubs, low plants, roots, and potentially coastal flora. The primary predators on Cyprus were none, which contributed to its dwarfism. The dwarf hippo's primary function in the ecology was to shape the island's vegetation as a huge herbivore, preserve open spaces by grazing, and coexist with another island-dwarf species, the Cypriot dwarf elephant.

It had no natural predators (except for new predators: golden eagles, pyrausta, golden eagles, and the Cyclopes). Arges, Steropes, and Brontes were once guardians of both dwarf elephants and hippos as pets under Zeus and Hera.

Reproduction

No direct fossils of reproductive biology, but likely similar to modern hippos:

• Slow reproduction, possibly 1 calf at a time

• Long maternal care period

• Sexual maturity in a few years

• Reproductive rates low — which makes species vulnerable to sudden changes

Hippopotamuses do not eat humans; however, they will fight those who encroach upon their territory. The Cypriot pygmy hippo was likely calm and reserved and lived largely alone or in tiny groups. This hippo was slower-moving and more terrestrial; it spent time hunting over hills and was probably active during the cooler hours of the day (crepuscular).

Similar to a giant wild goat or tapir, the Cypriot pygmy hippo would not be aggressive like modern hippos because it evolved without predators, its small size lessens the threat, and it is probably shy rather than dangerous. However, if provoked, this species may still bite.

The IUCN Red List lists the Cypriot pygmy hippo as an extinct species from prehistoric times because of the effects of the one-eyed Cyclopes and the anthropomorphic cat Felynes, in contrast to their relative, the common hippo, which is classified as a vulnerable species and the Liberian hippo as an endangered species. They have a dispersed population that is hard to find. They are vulnerable to habitat loss and are hunted for bushmeat. Their woodland habitat has been devastated and fragmented by farming, mining, logging, and agriculture. Pygmy hippos are now more vulnerable to hunting and disturbance as a result of these activities, which have pushed them closer to people, cats, and cyclops.

Bones of fossil mammals have been known on Cyprus since at least the 15th century; this species was found nowhere else on the planet. When Cypriot historian Leontios Machairas reported that bones exposed in the Kyrenia/Pentadactylos mountains in the northern part of Cyprus were believed by locals to be the bones of Maronite Christians who had fled to the island, which they regarded as saints. Due to Cyprus never having been connected to the mainland, its ancestors must have arrived via crossing the Mediterranean, perhaps as the result of a rare cataclysmic flooding event. Its small body size is due to insular dwarfism, a common phenomenon on islands.

The Cypriot pygmy hippo inhabits a range of arid Mediterranean environments, including rocky hills, coastal plains, dry woodlands and shrublands, freshwater springs, and seasonal wetlands. From the late Pleistocene until the early Holocene, the Cypriot pygmy hippo existed. The extinction occurred between 10,000 and 12,000 BCE, when humans and probably Felynes first appeared in Cyprus.

• Movement Pattern: Not a Migrant

• Individual Type: Random

• Population Trend: Stable

• Population: 0

• Food for human/creatures: Local ✔, National ✔, International ✔

• Medicine for human & veterinary: Local ✔, National ✔, International ✘

• Locomotion: Amphibious

• Habitat: Temperate Coniferous Forests; Temperate Broadleaf and Mixed Forests; Temperate Deciduous Forests; Temperate Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Subtropical Coniferous Forests; Subtropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Subtropical Grasslands, Savannas, and Shrublands; Tropical Coniferous Forests; Tropical Moist Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Dry Broadleaf Forests; Tropical Grasslands; Tropical Savannas and Shrublands; Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub; Deserts and Xeric Shrublands; Badlands; Flooded Grasslands and Savannas; Swamp; Bayous/Billabongs; Riparian; Wetland; Mangrove Forest; Cold Bamboo Forests; Tropical Bamboo Forests; Air-breathing Coral Reefs; Graveyard Vale; Warm River; Cold River; Lukewarm River; Subterranean River; Warm Pond; Cold Pond; Aquifer; Warm Littoral; Cold Littoral; Warm Intertidal; Cold Intertidal.

• Earth: 

  • Extinct: Cyprus

In Rapunzel's universe, hippos are easy to tame, you can easily knock them out with your fists or by using a tranquilizer on the entire body or slingshot on the head.

The Cypriot dwarf hippo was most likely not a good pet in our universe. The reasons include the fact that this hippo is still a huge, wild herbivore with erratic behavior, that it requires large regions and specialized habitat, that it is either an extinct or protected species if it is still living, and that it may grow stressed out in captivity. Small, timid hippos may do well in sanctuaries or wildlife parks but not in homes.

Coming soon

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• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cypriot_pygmy_hippopotamus

• https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q867518

• https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Hippopotamus_minor

• https://eol.org/pages/10595083

• https://www.gbif.org/species/4971577

• https://paleobiodb.org/classic/basicTaxonInfo?taxon_no=83608

• https://www.azquotes.com/quote/1288502?ref=hippopotamus

• https://www.deviantart.com/ognimdo2002/art/Cypriot-Pygmy-Hippopotamus-1098498696