About
Pygmy hippopotamus. A small hippopotamus native to lowland forests and areas near streams in West Africa (Liberia, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, Sierra Leone). It has a head-body length of about 1.5–1.75 m and a weight of 160–275 kg. It is mostly solitary and nocturnal. It feeds on terrestrial and semi-aquatic plants, spending about six hours foraging. The gestation period is about six to seven months, usually producing a single young. The population is estimated at at most around 5,000 individuals and is declining due to habitat destruction and hunting; it is classified as Endangered (IUCN Category I B).
