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How fast can hippopotamuses run on land?

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A hippopotamus stands at the edge of a watering hole, with several other hippos partially submerged in the water, surrounded by green vegetation in Botswana, Africa. — 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.

Despite their bulky size and stumpy legs, hippopotamuses are surprisingly fast runners on land. They are capable of reaching speeds of up to 30 kilometers per hour (19 miles per hour).1