About This Quiz
The third largest land animal, the hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous is aggressive mammals on Earth. Test your knowledge of these hulking beasts with the hippopotamus quiz.To avoid the glare of the hot sun, hippos spend up to 16 hours a day in rivers or lakes.
A hippo consumes about 80 pounds (36 kilograms) of short grasses each night.
The long ivory teeth of hippos never stop growing; their canines can grow to be 20 inches (51 centimeters) long.
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In a process called gaping, hippos open their mouths an impressive 150 degrees to show off their threatening teeth.
The common hippopotamus and the pygmy hippopotamus are the two species.
The common hippopotamus and the pygmy hippopotamus are native only to Africa.
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The oily, mucuslike secretion protects the animal from the sun's harsh rays.
The red pigment in hippo sweat is a powerful antiseptic. The sweat is also believed to be a bug repellent.
The gestation period for hippos lasts eight months. Female hippos, called cows, can give birth in the water or on dry land.
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