The hippopotamus is the world's third largest land animal after the elephant and the

rhino. Hippos are found in the central and southern portion of the continent of Africa.
They are herbivores and eat mostly grass.

How big are Hippos?

Hippos are really big! They can grow up to 10 feet long, 5 feet high at the shoulder,
and weigh 7000 pounds.

What are their unique features?

Many of the Hippo's features enable them to spend a lot of time in the water. Their
eyes, ears, and nose are all at the top of their head. This works out well because it
helps them to be almost totally submerged under the water, but at the same time
they can listen and watch for predators. They also have a clear membrane that
covers their eyes and helps them to see under water. When they go under water,
they can hold their breath for a long time.

Do they swim?

You would think that hippos are great swimmers as they spend much of their time in
the water, however, they don't really swim. What they do is bound or walk along the
bottom of the river. They do have a lot of fat which helps them to float a bit, but once
they sink they need to walk to shallow water to get back to the surface.