Hippopotamus Trivia
Did you know this about Hippos?
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The name 'hippopotamus' comes from the Greek word 'river horse'.
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Hippos can turn their ears in the same direction at the same time.
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Adult hippos can stay under the water for 5 - 6 minutes whereas a baby hippo can only stay under for 20 seconds.
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Few animals can open their mouths as wide as a hippo can - they use this ability to scare away other animals.
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Around the 18th century, hippo tusks were used to make artificial teeth.
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When hippos fight, they toss water at each other, make a variety of sounds at each other and swing their massive heads at each other.
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Mother hippos have been known to kill lions and bite crocodiles in half in order to protect their young.
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A hippo has a three-chambered stomach: the parietal blind sac, the stomach and the glandular stomach.
Hippos like to spend allot of time bathing in the water to keep cool!
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