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Hippopotamus map Hippopotamus amphibius Vulnerable

Where the hippopotamus lives: an interactive map of its subspecies and recorded sightings worldwide.

Approximate range, based on recorded sightings. Shapes are drawn by World Animal Map from 2,551 wild occurrence records on GBIF (CC0/CC BY 4.0; captive and fossil records excluded, isolated outliers removed), grouped into 1° grid cells and clipped to land. They show where the animal has been recorded, not an official range; gaps can simply mean no open data. Method · Records on GBIF

Portrait Hippopotamus in the water
Photo: Muhammad Mahdi Karim, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Scientific nameHippopotamus amphibius
StatusVulnerable (Wikidata, IUCN category label)
Mapped range layers3
Records used2,551 wild occurrence records (GBIF, CC0/CC BY)
GroupHippos, giraffes & zebras

Interesting facts

  • Despite being semiaquatic, it is debated whether hippos can swim at all. [source]
  • A population of hippos exists in Colombia, descended from captive individuals that escaped from Pablo Escobar's estate after his death in 1993. [source]

About the hippopotamus

The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius; ; pl.: hippopotamuses or hippopotami), often shortened to hippo (pl.: hippos), further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus and river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis). Its name comes from the Ancient Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος).

Subspecies (3)

Subspecies listed in Wikidata as children of Hippopotamus amphibius (fossil-only taxa excluded). Classification is debated for many animals and lists differ between authorities.

  • Hippopotamus amphibius capensis
    on the map
  • Hippopotamus amphibius kiboko
    on the map
  • Hippopotamus amphibius amphibius
    8 open-licence GBIF records (too few to map)

Photos

Hippopotamus: Anthracotherium magnum
Photo: Dmitry Bogdanov, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Common hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius kiboko) Serengeti
Photo: Charles J. Sharp, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Hippopotamus: Evolutionary relationships among laurasiatherian mammals as used in molecular evolution analyses
Photo: Georgia Tsagkogeorga, Michael R. McGowen, Kalina T. J. Davies, Simon Jarman, Andrea Polanowski, Mads F. Bertelsen, Steph, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Text in “About”, “Interesting facts” and “Population” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Hippopotamus (revision 1380577215), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Changes: sentences excerpted verbatim, citations and formatting removed. No text added. Taxa and status: Wikidata Q34505 (CC0).

More hippos, giraffes & zebras

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