Hippos are surprisingly agile and often traverse steep banks each night to graze on grass.
The hippo once ranged from the Nile delta to the Cape. Now it is mostly confined to protected areas.
Hippos have a flexible social system defined by hierarchy and by food and water conditions.
There are two hippo species found in Africa. The large hippo (Hippopotamus Amphibius), found in East Africa, occurs south of the Sahara. This is the most common species and they are social group-living mammals.
After elephants and white rhinos, the hippopotamus is the third largest living mammal on land and their hides alone can weigh up to half a ton.
