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When did hippopotamuses become extinct on Madagascar?
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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.
Three species of hippopotamuses lived on Madagascar until recent times. Their extinction may have coincided with the arrival of humans on the island approximately 1,000 years ago.1