Fun Facts | Poem | Reference

Kingdom: Animalia

Characteristics that place it here:

• It is a multicultural organism.
• It is a heterotroph that cannot produce its own food.
• The cells form organs which from organ systems like the digestive system.

Phylum: Chordata

Characteristics that place it here:

• It has a vertibreyal column or a back bone.
• They have a complete digestive system.

Class: Mammalia

Characteristics that place it here:

• It has three middle ear bones called malleus, incu, and stapes.
• The lower jaw is one single bone
• It has flat teeth to eat plants.

Order: Artiodactyla

Characteristics that place it here:

• Have characteristics such as horns, antlers, and cheek bones.
• Include some of the fastest animals and the slowest.

Family: Hippopotamidae

Characteristics that place it here:

• There are two types of hippos in this category like the pigmy hippo which is smaller than the average hippo.
• Although there is the pigmy hippo most of them are larger than most regular animals.

 Genius or Species: Hippopotamus

Characteristics that place it here:

• The hippo has its eyes and  nostrils on top of its head so when it submerges it can see and breath.

Fun Facts

• It was once thought hippos sweat blood but they sweet a pinkish oil to keep them moist in the hot African sun.

• Hippos are ideal grazers because their lips are almost 2 feet wide!

• Baby hippos swim as soon as they are born because they are born under water!

Poem

Hairless and careless

It swims down the river

It eats only plants

But it fears no human

Reference

April 5, 2002 

Animal diversity web 

http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/

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