Idea #653 – Observing the hippos of the Gambia River
The amphibious hippopotamus, called Hippopotamus amphibious, has a strong and massive body, carried by four legs of small sizes. The skin of the hippopotamus is brown or gray, and is almost hairless except in young people. The tail of the hippopotamus is short and muscular, with crushed edges. The head of the hippopotamus is very large, broad and flat. Its ears, eyes and nostrils stand out in relief on the profile of its head and are only flush when the animal is swimming underwater or rests there to breathe.
The hippopotamus needs both deep enough water and a grazing place close enough to make the round trip at night. The river Gambia, with its 15 meters deep, its islands and its vegetation, is a perfectly adapted place to this animal. During an expedition by canoe, you can see it rising to the surface to breathe, before distributing for a dip of about 4 to 5 minutes. Intrigued by the sound of the engine of the boat, he will end up playing hide-and-seek, appearing by surprise in unexpected places, less than fifty meters.
Some Pictures
Where is it ?
River Gambia National Park, Kuntaur, Gambia