Pygmy Hippopotamus | is a medium-sized herbivorous mammal that is found inhabiting the humid forests

The Pygmy Hippopotamus is closely related to Africa’s other Hippopotamus species, which is the Common Hippopotamus but is much smaller in size weighing around a fifth of its enormous cousin’s weight. Although the two species may look very similar there are actually a number of notable differences as the Pygmy Hippopotamus has a narrower mouth and sleeker body that helps it when moving quickly through the dense vegetation in the jungle. They also spend much less time in the water compared to the Common Hippopotamus and even rest in burrows in the vegetation on river banks. Unlike its larger cousin though, the Pygmy Hippopotamus is a very rare animal that is severely threatened in its remaining habitats by both hunting and habitat loss which appears to be hard to control in such an unregulated region.
The Pygmy Hippopotamus has a long barrel-shaped body that is covered in slate-grey skin, which lightens towards the underside. The head of the Pygmy Hippopotamus is small in relation to its body size and along with its narrower mouth, makes it easier for them to run through the forest at speed. Due to the fact that the Pygmy Hippopotamus has evolved to being more land-dwelling than the larger Common Hippopotamus, they have a number of adaptations that aid them when in the dense forest. Although the Pygmy Hippopotamus is still semi-aquatic and will enter the water, they have fewer webbed toes than their cousin to help them move more effectively on land, and their eyes are also found on the sides of their head rather than on the top which again helps them to see more around them when they are amongst the trees. The Pygmy Hippopotamus also has long canines called tusks and although they are no-way near as impressive as those found in the mouth of the Common Hippopotamus, they are still used for intimidating rivals and intruders.