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What foods do pygmy hippopotamuses eat in tropical forests?
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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.
The pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) is a distinct species that inhabits lowland tropical forests in West Africa. Unlike the common hippopotamus, which primarily grazes on grass, the pygmy hippopotamus has a more varied diet suited to its forest environment.
In these tropical forests, the pygmy hippopotamus feeds on:
- Grasses
- Fresh leaves from trees and bushes
- Herbs
- Fallen fruits1
Because they are less aquatic and less gregarious than their larger relatives, they forage individually or in very small groups within their wet forest and swamp habitats.21