The Nile Hippopotamus

The Exhibit Plaque

The Nile Hippopotamus

Nile Hippopotamus Hippopotamus Amphibious

The Nile Hippopotamus, popularly known as the common hippopotamus, can grow up to be 12 ft long and 5 ft tall at the shoulders. They are the 3rd largest land mammal on earth, weighing 4000 pounds (2 tons). These giants live in the grassy area along the Nile River, which has a surplus of grass, the hippo's primary food source. The hippo also feeds on fallen fruit and cultivated crops such as sugar cane and corn. Hippos sleep and swim in the water for 18 hours during the day, and come out to graze for 5 to 6 hours in the night. Young hippos are prey to crocodiles and lions, but hippos are mostly killed by humans for their ivory tusks. Also, pollution and humans are causing more fires in the grassland, destroying not only the hippo's habitat, but the entire savanna.

By Aarjav, Ankur, & Evan

Fun Facts!

The Enclosure

• Grasslands are found on every continent except Antarctica
• Grasslands are usually found in between deserts and forest
• In Asia, grasslands surround every desert
• 25% of the Earth is covered is covered in grasslands
• Grasslands are perfect for farming because of its fertile soil
• Periodic fires are important because it makes sure that invasive plants do not take over

• Vegetation and Food Sources
• There will be aquatic plants for the hippo to eat and to give it a "Nile" feel
• There will be a large amount of grass for the hippo to eat, and the grass will be watered twice a day
• There will be a food bowl that will be replenished three times a day
• The food bowl will include corn, sugar cane, pumpkin, apple, carrots, milk, water, and grains
• Entertainment
• There will be bite-proof balls for the hippo to play with
• The beach will be there for the hippo to roll around
• Climate
• The temperature will be put to about 70 degrees, but never below 65 degrees, to make it feel like the Nile.

Animals

The Hippo

• Most animals have adaptations to outrun the fires or withstand the heat
• Predators
• African Lion
• Cheetah
• Leopard
• Caracal
• Serval
• African wild dog
• Black Mamba
• Nile Crocodile
• Prey
• Antelope
• Wildebeest
• Grant's Gazelle
• Thomson's Gazelle
• Impala
• African Elephant
• Hippopotamus
• Black Rhinoceros
• Warthogs
• Wild Pigs
• Zebra
• Reticulated Giraffe
• African Pancake Tortoise

• Physical Characteristics
• 12 ft long and 5ft tall at the shoulders
• They weigh 4000 pounds
• Mouth spreads 2 ft across with tusk-like incisors and canines that continuously grow
• Diet
• Related to pig, making it a hoofed vegetarian
• Feeds mostly grass, but occasionally fallen fruit and cultivated crops
• Predators
• Lions and crocodiles will attack young hippos, and sometimes packs of cats

The Enclosure

The Nile Hippopotamus

Why We Should Save The Hippo

Activity and Adaptations

• Humans are killing them for their ivory tusks
• Pollution and human fires are destroying the hippo's habitat
• Hippos are on the endangered species list
• The zoo will provide a home where they can breed and increase the population bit by bit
• Be kind and donate t keep hippos happy so that they live their life like this:

• Habitat
• Hippos live in the grassy and swampy area around the Nile River in East Africa
• Environment
• Needs LOTS of water for sleeping and swimming
• Needs land for grazing in the night
• Very territorial, needs lots of its own space
• Mostly flat, with grasses and few trees
• Temperatures
• Grassland temperatures scarcely drop below 64 degrees Faranheit, and is usually around the 70 degree and 80 degree mark
• Hot and dry year-round

• Habitat will be rectangular, with bridges to the side (for a bird's eye view), steel fences and glass windows
• The exhibit will be lowered about 4 feet, to ensure safety
• The exhibit has a huge body of water on one side, with edible aquatic plants to the side and 2 beaches with grass, for the hippo to eat, and there will be a stream leading towards one of the beaches (beaches are for entertainment)
• There is a small door for the keepers to enter from, and there will be monitors on both windows that will monitor and play footage of the hippo eating
• There is a safety cage under the bridge for the hippo to enter during chemical spills, natural disasters, unusual weather, etc.

• Activity
• Hippos spend 18 hrs a day sleeping and swimming in the water
• Spend 5-6 hours at night grazing for food on land
• At any sight of danger, they will run back to the water
• Adaptations
• Excrete a red, oily liquid from body that moistens the body, cools it, and protects the skin from dying
• Eyes and nostrils are located on the top of their heads so that they can keep them above water to see and breathe while most of body is submerged
• Have a clear membrane that protects eyes and lets them see underwater

The Grasslands

Vegetation

Did You Know?

Elephant Grass

Acacia Tree

• Vegetation:
• Tropical: Growth of trees is minimal because of fires and poor soil conditions
• Temperate: Soil is rich in nutrients and most of biome has been cleared for farmland; trees are uncommon and are only found along river valleys
• Plants:
• Elephant Grass
• Red Oat Grass
• Acacia Trees
• Star Grass
• Jackalberry Tree
• River Bushwillow
• Bermuda Grass

• Hippos live in both Tropical and Temperate Grasslands
• Climate/Precipitation:
• Tropical: Rainy season: 6-8 months w/ 50-127 cm rainfall followed by dry season (drought)
• Temperate: Summer temp: 38 degrees Celsius or more; Winter: -40 degrees Celsius and even lower; 51-89 cm of rainfall, most of it falling in late spring and early summer

• Hippopotamus means "river horse in Greek
• Because they are heavier in water, they walk on river bottoms
• Hippos can lift their nostrils to the surface and breathe when they are sleeping underwater, without waking themselves up!
• Crocodiles rest and sunbathe on the backs of hippos
• Fish graze on algae that grows on a hippo's skin
• Cattle egrets, storks, and other birds use hippos as a perch while fishing

Red Oat Grass

River Bushwillow

Star Grass

Jackalberry Tree

The Agenda

• The Grasslands
• Climate, Precipitation, Vegetation, Animals, and Other
• The Nile Hippopotamus
• Diet, Predators, Temperatures, Activity, Adaptations, and Other
• The Exhibit
• What, Food Sources, Vegetation, Climate, Entertainment, and Exhibit Information