Author(s): Edgar Williams

Natural History

This is a natural and cultural history of the hippopotamus, the well-loved, cumbersome, rotund mammal famous for lounging around semi-submerged in muddy pools.Hippos are rotund, cumbersome, lovable mammals famous for lounging around semi-submerged in muddy pools. Gregarious herbivores, they emerge after dusk from the water into the cool night air to graze on grass and plants before returning to the water at sunrise. Although a seemingly amiable creature, they are large powerful creatures with huge mouths adorned with large, sharp tusks, and jaws strong enough to bite through crocodiles, small boats and even humans.