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How do hippopotamuses graze without using their teeth to cut grass?
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hippopotamus
The word hippopotamus is Greek for “river horse,” which reflects their behavior: they are often seen basking on the banks or sleeping in the waters of rivers, lakes, and swamps across Africa. They favor shallow areas where they can sleep half-submerged, though these places can become quite crowded—as many as 150 hippos may use one pool in the dry season.
Hippopotamuses do not use their teeth to cut grass; instead, they graze by grasping the vegetation with their tough, wide lips and jerking their heads to pull it from the ground. While hippos possess large canines and incisors, these are used strictly as weapons for combat and display rather than for feeding.1