Pygmy Hippo

The pygmy hippopotamus or pygmy hippo is a small hippopotamid which is native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily in Liberia, with small populations in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. It has been extirpated from Nigeria. The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal. With only about 2000-3000 individuals remaining, the pygmy hippo is classified as Endangered on the 2010 IUCN Red List, as well as being an Evolutionarily Distinct Species. Pygmy hippos tend to lead a solitary life, avoiding conspecifics. When encountering each other in the wild, hippos usually ignore one another. Each individual defends its territory through fecal marking. These mammals socialize only during the mating season as well as when rearing their offspring.

Scientific name: Choeropsis liberiensis

Gestation period: 184 – 204 days

Family: Hippopotamidae

Kingdom: Animalia

Order: Artiodactyla

Phylum: Chordata