Hippopotamuses stamp catalogue

327 items

Hippos or Hippopotamidae are cloven-hoofed animals. Unlike their related whales, they have an amphibious lifestyle. There are 2 species, the hippopotamus and the pygmy hippopotamus, both from Africa. The hippopotamus is one of the most dangerous animals. More

Hippos are even-toed ungulates in the Hippopotamidae family. Like pigs, which they somewhat resemble, they have 4 toes. However, they are more closely related to the whales. Unlike whales, they have an amphibious lifestyle: they live both on land and in water. There are 2 species, the pygmy hippopotamus and the hippopotamus, both from Africa. The pygmy hippopotamus (Hexaprotodon liberiensis) is, as its Latin name implies, native to Liberia. This hippo is also depicted on postage stamps of the country. It also occurs in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. In Nigeria it is probably extinct. The distribution area of the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) has also become much smaller. Yet it still occurs in many African countries. The decline is partly caused by hunting. The hippopotamus is killed for its meat, to protect agricultural crops and its ivory teeth. The hippo is one of the most dangerous animals, causing many human victims every year.

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Number of stamps

327

Number of related items

Oldest item

Hippopotamus (1896)