Hippo3+by+Emma.F

Written by Emma Checked by Izzie

The ideal habitats for hippos are rivers and lakes that aren’t very deep and have moving water and banks. It would also have good quality grazing. The hippo mainly eats short grasses. It is also a vegetarian. The hippo eats 80 pounds of grass a day. The hippos don’t have a lot of predators. Hundreds of hippos are shot each year. Humans kill hippos for their meat and tusks. Other predators are hippos, Lions, crocodiles and spotted hyenas. The hippo keeps itself safe by closely watching and guarding its territory. The hippo will threaten any person or animal that invades its territory by showing its teeth when it yawns. If the animal or human doesn’t leave after that the hippo will attack. The hippo grazes during the night and lies in water during the day to protect its skin and most importantly to digest its meals. Within five minutes of birth the baby hippo can swim and walk. The hippo’s calls are roars and bellows. The hippo’s life span is 40-50 years. Hippos are the most feared animal. written bye Emma Checked by Izzie http://www.southafrica-travel.net/Tiere/e_flupf.htm http://www.awf.org/content/wildlife/detail/hippopotamus http://www.yptenc.org.uk/docs/factsheets/animal_facts/hippopotamus.html http://www.wildlifeafrica.co.za/hippobehavior.html Sims Safari http://wonderclub.com/Wildlife/mammals/hippo.html