Arctic Hippopotamus

Basic Information

Anatomy

The Arctic Hippopotamus averages 14 feet in length, 6 feet tall at the shoulder and weigh from 3500 to 8000 pounds. Baby arctic hippos weigh 75 – 140 pounds at birth. Arctic hippos have thick, curly gray hair which is very oily and repels water. The oil comes from unusual pores on their body which excrete a thick, oily sweat. This secretion is colourless and turns a light gray within minutes, eventually becoming dark gray. Two distinct pigments have been identified in the secretions, one white and one black. The two pigments are highly acidic compounds. Hippopotamuses have a huge muzzle and mouth and canine teeth that measure 30 inches long. Their enormous mouth can open 4.5 feet wide.
Male and female hippos have similar bodies, however, male hippos are larger and have larger tusks than female hippos. Both male and female hippos have two pairs of tusks set in the lower jaw. Hippos live relatively long lives. Arctic hippos live about 50 years, however, in captivity they have survived into their early 70s.

Genetics and Reproduction

Arctic hippos are solitary animals and one bull mates with one female before returning to solitude. Breeding is not strictly seasonal. When searching for a mate, the male acts unusually submissive towards the females as to avoid being attacked. The goal of the submissive male is to find a female in heat. Once a mate has been found the courtship begins. The male pursues the female into deep waters, until she becomes frustrated and lashes out and clashing jaws with him. He forces her into submission and mounts her, forcing her head under the water. If the female tries to raise her head to breathe, the male will usually snap at her and force her head back down. During mating the males release a wheezy honking to announce that mating has occurred. Arctic hippopotami usually mate every other year. Gestation lasts seven months, 350 days, and yields just one offspring. The young are not weaned for nearly another two seasons, and maturity is achieved at around 1 full year after birth.

Ecology and Habitats

Arctic hippos live in areas with an average temperature between 0F and 40F, in areas with rivers and lakes. Hippos are amphibious animals and spend up to 16 hours per day in the water, breaking through ice when necessary and leaving their eyes, ears and nose above the water through ice holes.

Dietary Needs and Habits

The main sources of food for the arctic hippo is fish and aquatic plants. Arctic hippos eat less than their warm weather, hairless counterparts. They consume up to 50 pounds of food per day, only one third of their smooth-skinned cousins.
They very seldom consume any type of plants that are found on land, even though they are often accessible. They never eat the meat of land animals.
Since the arctic hippo is a very large creature, the mistake that people make about its eating habits is that they think that they consume meat and that is how they get so large. However with their slow land movements it would be impossible for them to survive by having to capture other living animals, their relative speed and size in the water makes them excellent at capturing fish.

Additional Information

Perception and Sensory Capabilities

Arctic hippos can see, smell and hear when they are in the water because their eyes, nostrils and ears are positioned on the upper surface of the head. They have good eyesight, and an exceptional sense of smell and hearing.