The hippopotamus is a large, mostly plant-eating African mammal, one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae (the other being the Pygmy Hippopotamus). It is the heaviest extant artiodactyl, despite being significantly shorter than the Giraffe. The hippopotamus is semi-aquatic, inhabiting rivers and lakes in sub-Saharan Africa in groups of 5–30 hippos. The hippopotamus uses water to keep itself hydrated and able to carry out its life functions. During the day they remain cool by staying in the water or mud; reproduction and childbirth both occur in water, where territorial bulls preside over a stretch of river. They emerge at dusk to graze on grass. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, their closest living relatives are cetaceans (whales, porpoise, etc.). The hippopotamus is recognizable for its barrel-shaped torso, enormous mouth and teeth, hairless body, stubby legs and tremendous size. It is the third-largest land mammal by weight, behind the White Rhinoceros and the Elephant. The hippopotamus is one of the most aggressive creatures in the world, and is often regarded as the most ferocious animal in Africa. There are an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 hippos remaining throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, of which Zambia and Tanzania have the largest populations. They are still threatened by poaching for their meat and ivory canine teeth, and by habitat loss.
Read the rest of this article: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippopotamus> _______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries: 1358: Republic of Ragusa founded. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Ragusa> 1743: War of the Austrian Succession: In the last time that a British monarch, personally led his troops into battle, George II and his forces defeated the French in Dettingen, Bavaria. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Dettingen> 1846: Great Irish Famine: An Irish newspaper ran a story about a new potato blight.<!-Need to verify date <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Irish_Famine> 1905: The crew of the Russian battleship Potemkin began a mutiny against their oppressive officers. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_battleship_Potemkin> 1954: The world's first large-scale nuclear power plant opened in Obninsk, in the Soviet Union.<!-Tagged with <table class="metadata plainlinks ambox ambox-content" style=""> <tr> <td class="mbox-image"><div style="width: 52px;"> 50x40px</div></td> <td class="mbox-text" style=""> This article needs additional citations for verification. <small>Please help [http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Main_Page&action=edit improve this article] by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. </td> </tr> </table>Category:Articles needing additional references <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_reactor> 1957: Hurricane Audrey struck Texas and Louisiana, leaving $1 billion (2005 USD) in damage and at least 419 fatalities. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Audrey> 1967: The world's first electronic automated teller machine was installed in Enfield Town, London by Barclays Bank. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/automated_teller_machine> 1980: Aerolinee Itavia Flight 870 suffered an in-flight explosion due to unknown causes while en route from Bologna to Palermo, Italy, killing all 81 people on board. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aerolinee_Itavia_Flight_870> 1986: The International Court of Justice ruled against the United States in Nicaragua v. United States. <!-Tagged for cleanup <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicaragua_v._United_States> 1998: Kuala Lumpur International Airport near Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, today the 7th busiest international airport in Asia, was officially inaugurated. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuala_Lumpur_International_Airport> _____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day: fungible (adj): 1. (of a debt) Able to be substituted for something of equal value. 2. Interchangeable <http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fungible> ___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day: We differ, blind and seeing, one from another, not in our senses, but in the use we make of them, in the imagination and courage with which we seek wisdom beyond the senses. --Helen Keller <http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Helen_Keller> _______________________________________________ Wikipedia Daily Article mailing list. To unsubscribe, visit: https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/daily-article-l Questions or comments? Contact [email protected]
