Pygmy Hippopotamus
Choeropsis liberiensis
The pygmy hippopotamus inhabits the rainforests of West Africa, where it finds shelter among dense vegetation and along rivers and streams. It is a solitary and elusive animal, active mainly at night. Its survival is threatened not only by the loss of its forest habitat, but also by armed conflicts across parts of its range, which increase poaching and hunting for bushmeat.
IUCN RED LIST
The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) classifies living species according to criteria that take into account their level of threat of extinction: the Red List is an indispensable tool for coordinating nature conservation actions, a veritable barometer of the health of our Planet.
EEP Project
This species is included in EAZA’s (European Association of Zoos and Aquariums) EEP programme for breeding endangered species.
Lives in: West Africa, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Ivory Coast
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Fun Fact
IT’S NOT A BABY HIPPOPOTAMUS
Most people assume that hippos are always enormous, and therefore that the one you see at the park must be a calf.
In reality, they are two different species, not just in size: the pygmy hippopotamus is nocturnal and during the day it enjoys sleeping in muddy pools, often hidden within the forest.
Gli animali che vivono nella stessa area geografica
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