The dwarf hippopotamus (also called Liberian, lat. Hexaprotodon liberiensis) belongs to the hippopotamus family. Hometown - Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone. If for us the dwarf hippo (see photo in the article) is still a wonder, then in those places it is an object of hunting. It is for this reason that the animal is on the verge of extinction.
Description
A mammal is a herbivore. The lifestyle is semi-aquatic. Compared with their closest (and moreover, only) relatives - ordinary hippos - these animals do not stray into flocks, preferring solitude, are not inclined to protect the developed territory.
Dwarf hippopotamus is a pygmy with a relatively small mass (250 kg on average) and not particularly impressive sizes (up to 2 m in length and 0.7 m at the withers). This is the height of the royal dog, a giant in the dog world. But if the latter is the personification of beauty and harmony, then the dwarf hippo appears as a funny elongated black barrel on its legs. His skin is almost black (or dark brown) and shiny, as if greased. In fact, such a gloss gives a secret secreted by the skin glands (natural protection against drying out of the integument).
The first mention of this funny animal appeared in the late 17th century in a book by Olfert Dapper, which tells of travels in Africa. It was a big and black pig with big teeth, destroying everything that came across in its path.
Research history
All this time, terrifying stories from the Liberians themselves reached the civilized world. Allegedly in the jungle lives a very dangerous "Ningbwe." And there, according to rumors, there lives a dwarf rhino similar to it. Strange bones caused bewilderment among scientists - the shape of the remains could belong to the hippo, but what about the size? Zoologists agreed that the bones belong to an extinct hippo. The remains were under the glass of the paleontological museum.
However, Samuel Morton, who was then the vice president of the Philadelphia Academy of Sciences and at the same time a natural scientist, doctor and simply a great animal lover, said in absentia: the animal is the middle link between a pig and a hippo. A dispute began, which could last indefinitely, until they brought to the zoo ... a live dwarf hippo! True, he, unable to withstand the difficult road, soon died.
Johann Buttikofer (a zoologist from Sweden) goes to Liberia in search of a strange animal . It is thanks to his research that we have today's data on the animal. Since then, almost nothing has been added to meager information. Studying the animal in his homeland was uncomfortable. Only in recent years has it occasionally appeared in zoos.
Captivity
Is it possible to keep a pygmy hippo at home? Yes. However, in addition to creating special conditions, constant vigilance will also be required: the dwarf hippopotamus is not aggressive by nature, but it is extremely unbalanced. He can throw himself, knock down and cause serious injuries with his twenty-centimeter fangs. The legs of the animal are short, the head is relatively small, with small ears and small eyes. But the hippo’s nostrils are large - thanks to them he breathes freely while in the water. All of his rather poor attire is made up of bundles of coarse hair on a short ponytail, ears and lips.
The dwarf hippopotamus has become accustomed to live and even breed in captivity, but the population is still low. Pregnancy lasts seven months, a newborn baby weighs about 7 kg and looks like a pig. The female gives birth on land (ordinary hippopotamus - in water, at the bottom).
The dwarf hippopotamus is not very sociable and leads a rather secretive lifestyle. Active only in the dark.
How much can a dwarf hippo cost? The price of this animal is not advertised anywhere. The fact is that the dwarf hippopotamus is listed in the Red Book, and therefore its sale is prohibited.