Smile of the Day: Wildlife Hippo at Animal Kingdom

Today starts a series Smiles of The Day looking at the animals at Animal Kingdom in Disney World. Some of the Smiles will include one photo and some multiple photos. All will include some facts about the animals. The idea is to celebrate wildlife.

As some of you probably realized following my posts and Twitter feed, I love photographing wildlife and when you go to Disney you have a great opportunity to photograph animals you might not normally get to see, unless you head out on a safari. So, let’s get started.

© Steven Liebman

The Nile Hippopotamus

©Steven Liebman

Genus and Species: Hippopotamus amphibius

Where to find at Animal Kingdom: Kilimanjaro Safaris and Pangani Trail

Where they live: Sub-Saharan Africa in the rivers, lakes, and wetlands.

Height and weight: They can grow to be 15 feet long and stand up to 5-feet tall. Males can weigh up to 8,000 pounds.

Life span: 45 years in the wild


What they eat: Up to 88 pounds of grass a day.

Hold your breath: Adult hippos can stay underwater for up to five minutes.

What hippopotamus means:  The word is derived from Greek meaning “horse of the river.”

What the hippo is called in Swahili: Kiboko

World population: There is an estimated 125,000 to 150,000 population and in 2006 was named vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List by the World Conservation Union because of poaching.

Famous hippos in Disney movies: Hyacinth Hippo, the lead dancing hippo in “Fantasia” who has also appeared in “Who Framed Roger Rabbit” and “Mickey’s Twice Upon a Christmas.” And don’t forget the other dancing hippos from “Fantasia.”