Hippos, also known as ‘river horses’, are the third largest land mammals on the planet.
So how much does a hippo weigh?
Adult males will weigh between 3,500 to 9,920 lbs. (1,600 to 4,500 kg). That’s the same amount of weight as 3 large family cars!
Females are smaller, but still manage to weigh as much as 3,300 pounds (1,496 kg).
Hippos spend a lot of time with their bodies submerged under water. It’s not until they step onto dry land that you realize just how enormous these grass-eating machines are.
How Much Do Hippos Weigh At Birth?
Even when they’re born, hippos are big. Female hippos, or cows, give birth to a single calf that normally weighs between 50 to 110 pounds (22 to 49 kg).
How Much Do Hippos Eat?
Hippos love their grub. It’s not unusual for them to spend many hours walking long distance at night foraging for their favorite food.
Grass is the main dish on the menu for these giant herbivores. A fully-grown hippo can gobble up as much as 80 pounds (36 kg) of grass every night using their large mouths and long teeth.
They also enjoy eating various types of fruits and plants whenever there is an opportunity to do so.
All the grass that hippos consume has to go somewhere.
Once digested, hippos produce huge quantities of poop that goes into the rivers they live in.
Their poop contains large amounts of nutrients, which helps the aquatic life in the area to flourish and grow.
~ Fun Fact ~
With a big, chubby, barrel-shaped body and short, stumpy legs, hippos may not look like the fastest land animals in the world. However, despite their substantial size, they have been clocked at running speeds of up to 20 mph (30 kph). That means they can outrun most humans in a 100-meter sprint! You definitely don’t want to be chased by one of these guys.
Resources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hippopotamus
https://www.livescience.com/27339-hippos.html
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/h/hippopotamus/