Hippo-potamus or “river horse”, as Linnaeus called the common hippopotamus. In other cultures it is known as "river buffalo", "river pig" or even "river beast". They have always been compared to other species due to their enigmatic appearance and behavior, but where do these animals come from? How do hippos reproduce? The answer is that it depends on the species.
Today, there are two species with many differences in their reproduction. They are the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) and the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis). In this article on our site we will focus on the reproduction of the common hippopotamus and, later, we will see how pygmy hippos reproduce.
How does a common hippopotamus reproduce?
The hippopotamus is a placental mammal, like mice, dogs or humans. Therefore, its reproduction is sexual A new hippopotamus is formed by the union of a male gamete (sperm) and a female gamete (ovum). Also, this species is unisexual: there are male and female hippos.
Male hippos are slightly larger than female hippos and have a more powerful jaw1 This is because they are more territorial. They compete with each other for the territory in which the females live, so that the most dominant males are the ones that reproduce the most. In short, common hippos are polygamous animals
Now, how exactly do hippos reproduce? Mating of this species occurs in the water The female remains submerged and the male climbs on top of her, beginning the sexual act. Copulation lasts about 15 minutes and, after it, one embryo (rarely two) forms inside the female. This is how common hippos reproduce.
How is the courtship of hippos?
Common hippos are highly social and gregarious animals. They form herds of between 10 and hundreds of individuals, where they are segregated by sex. On the one hand, the females, offspring and subadults are located. On the other, we find groups of single males that maintain a submissive posture. This is because usually only one of them is dominant and can freely reproduce with females.
Sometimes a submissive male rebels, challenging the dominant male. They both get into an argument and use their heads to show their power To do so, they open their mouths, show their teeth to the opponent and hit each other with their jaws. They do not usually hurt each other, since the weaker realizes the disadvantage of him giving up.
Thus, the strongest male defends his territory from other males, including the water in which they rest, the banks and a small strip of land To do this, he emits growls and spreads his feces thanks to the characteristic movement of his tail. This technique also serves to indicate to the females that he has the best genes; are the best bet.
Is the hippopotamus oviparous or viviparous?
The amphibian life of hippos leads some people to doubt whether these animals lay eggs or give birth. The truth is that all placental mammals are viviparous animals and so is the hippopotamus. The females go through a long pregnancy and their young are born through childbirth This is how hippos of both species reproduce.
In the reproduction of the common hippopotamus, pregnancy lasts about 240 days (7-8 months). After this time, it is time to give birth and the female moves away from the group to shallow waters. There, alone, she usually has a baby and, rarely, twins.
In addition, they share other characteristics with us. For example, females have mammary glands and feed their young with milk. They also take care of them while they are small, at least until they can survive on their own.
The Baby Hippos
Now that you know how hippos reproduce, you're probably wondering what their young are like. A newborn hippopotamus weighs between 35 and 52 kg Two days after giving birth, the mother returns with the rest of the females and, together, they protect their young of predators. The males, for their part, do not participate in the care of the young.
The main care is breastfeeding. Hippopotamus mothers nurse both in water and on land, while resting or feeding, respectively. This process ends when the little ones are between 8 and 15 months old, when they have grown enough to be more independent. However, they remain children for a long time. In the wild, these animals reach sexual maturity when they are 6-9 years old It seems late, but they can reproduce until they are about 40-45 years old, which is their average life expectancy. During this time, females typically have one pup every 2 years
If you want to learn more about “river horses”, you have to read this other article on What do hippos eat.
When do hippos breed?
The breeding season for common hippos depends on where they live. In southern and parts of eastern Africa they breed seasonally. Thus, the parturition coincides with the arrival of the rains, ensuring a large amount of resources for breeding. However, in western and parts of eastern Africa births can occur throughout the year.
If you want to know more about the habitat of hippos and their behavior, don't miss this other article on Where do hippos live.
How do pygmy hippos reproduce?
We already know all about common hippopotamus reproduction, but how do pygmy hippos reproduce? These animals live in the humid forests of West Africa, where they are experts at camouflaging themselves. Therefore, there is no information on their reproductive behavior in nature. Everything we are going to see has been observed in captivity
Pygmy hippos are solitary animals. They live alone or with a partner and are quite territorial. Males have about 2 km² of territory, while females make do with about 0.5 km². They breed at any time of the year and mating can occur on land or in the water.
Pregnancy lasts about 200-210 days (6-7 months). They usually have a single young, rarely two. It is always born on land and weighs around 5 kg. His mother keeps him hidden in holes or in the brush, where he quickly learns to fend for himself. Despite this, it will take him about 2, 5 or 3 years to reach sexual maturity.
