Hippopotamuses (or hippopotamuses) are the heaviest animals on the earth after elephants. The body weight of a hippopotamus can reach 4.5 tons. Now these heavyweights inhabit only the African continent.
Instruction
1. Since ancient times hippopotamuses were found across all Africa to the South of the Sahara and also on river banks Nile and in Mesopotamia. From there they disappeared 3500 years ago. Now hippopotamuses are found only in some African regions: in territories of East, South, Southeast and Western Africa. Exactly there are savannas – the amazing African places submitting the beauty and mystery. Fenny coast of the reservoirs which are in these savannas are a haven for clumsy hippopotamuses. These peaceful creations in most cases are not shown to the utmost - most often only their eyes stick out of reservoirs.
2. The largest number of hippopotamuses was recorded in territories of Kenya, Uganda, Malawi, Mozambiki. Small population of hippopotamuses is found in the territory of the world famous African park of Kruger. Hippopotamuses can be met also in the Western Africa in territories of Senegal and Guinea-Bisua. Unfortunately, the number of these peaceful heavyweights for the last decades was considerably reduced. To all fault an economic crisis which forced local community to be engaged in poaching: meat and bones of hippopotamuses were in broad demand among the starving population.
3. Only places, where live hippopotamuses, it coasts of fresh lakes and rivers. The lion's share of the time these heavyweights luxuriate in water in the warm sun. When hippopotamuses lie in water, on its surface it is possible to see only their ears, eyes and nostrils. Animals are almost not visible, and only the birds noticing these heavyweights land on their heads. It should be noted that hippopotamuses not against such bird's neighbourhood as feathery creations are pecked from skins of heavyweights of various small parasites.
4. It is curious that hippopotamuses leave reservoirs only to eat, and they eat a grass. By the way, selecting a reservoir for the existence, hippopotamuses are guided not so much by its size how many on capacity in this reservoir of all their herd. As hippopotamuses very much depend on liquid, their reservoirs have to be filled with water all the year round. If the reservoir dries up – also all its inhabitants including hippopotamuses will die! Cases when in Africa the whole herd of hippopotamuses perished from powerlessness are known, lying on muddy day of the dried-up reservoir. Scientists and volunteers then managed to save several individuals of these heavyweights and to transport them in national park of Kruger.