H
Species Profile

Hippopotamus gorgops

Hippopotamus gorgops

The high-eyed hippo of deep time
Amberghini / CC BY-SA 4.0

Hippopotamus gorgops Distribution

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Found in 3 countries

🇪🇹 Ethiopia 🇰🇪 Kenya 🇹🇿 Tanzania

Size Comparison

Human 5'8"
Hippopotamus gorgops 5 ft 5 in

Hippopotamus gorgops stands at 96% of average human height.

Hippopotamus gorgops

At a Glance

Wild Species
Diet Herbivore
Activity Nocturnal
Lifespan 40 years
Weight 4500 lbs
Status Not Evaluated
Did You Know?

Its species name gorgops means "Gorgon-faced/eyed," referring to its strikingly elevated orbits (eye sockets) in the skull.

Scientific Classification

Hippopotamus gorgops is an extinct hippopotamus species (family Hippopotamidae) described from African fossil material, generally dated to the late Pliocene to Pleistocene. It is often discussed as a large-bodied fossil hippo relative to the living common hippopotamus.

Kingdom
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata
Class
Mammalia
Order
Artiodactyla
Family
Hippopotamidae
Genus
Hippopotamus
Species
gorgops

Distinguishing Features

  • Extinct member of Hippopotamus (not the pygmy hippo lineage)
  • Pliocene–Pleistocene age in Africa
  • Interpreted as a comparatively large fossil hippopotamus in many paleontological treatments

Physical Measurements

Height
5 ft 5 in (4 ft 11 in – 5 ft 11 in)
Length
15 ft 1 in (13 ft 1 in – 16 ft 9 in)
Weight
3.9 tons (2.8 tons – 5.0 tons)
Tail Length
1 ft 6 in (1 ft 2 in – 1 ft 10 in)
Top Speed
19 mph
Estimated 30 km/h from H.amphibius

Appearance

Primary Colors
Gray Brown
Secondary Colors
Pink Tan
Skin Type Hippopotamus gorgops likely had thick, mostly hairless skin with deep folds and many glands making oily, antimicrobial secretions. This is based on close relation and semi-aquatic bones; no direct skin impressions.
Distinctive Features
  • Skull shows unusually high-set eye orbits (raised "periscope-like" eyes), based on fossil crania; most reconstructions of the living animal rely on comparison with the modern common hippopotamus and other fossil hippos.
  • High-set, top eye sockets (the trait behind the species name Hippopotamus gorgops) suggest eyes sat high for seeing while mostly submerged; this feature is often noted in fossil hippo studies.
  • Hippopotamus gorgops had a massive skull and strong jaws, so it was a very large hippo; exact adult weight and length estimates vary among studies.
  • Very large, ever-growing lower incisors and canines typical of hippos, implying prominent tusk display when the mouth opens; dental and mandibular robustness indicates strong bite mechanics as in living hippos.
  • Broad muzzle shows it was a grazing hippo. Isotope studies suggest many Plio-Pleistocene African hippos mainly ate C4 grasses, but results differ by site and are not always reported for this species.
  • Semi-aquatic body plan inferred: barrel-shaped trunk, short robust limbs, splayed toes (artiodactyl), and a lifestyle strongly associated with freshwater margins; paleoecology is inferred from depositional contexts and hippopotamid functional anatomy rather than direct behavioral observation.

Sexual Dimorphism

Hippopotamus gorgops likely had sex differences because living hippos show big size and tusk differences. In fossils, this shows in skull, jaw, and tooth sizes, but telling sex from single bones is hard.

♂
  • Likely larger average body and skull size than females (inferred from the living common hippopotamus and typical hippopotamid dimorphism).
  • Likely proportionally larger canines/incisors and more robust mandibular symphysis to support tusk display/weaponry.
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  • Likely smaller average body and skull size than males (inferred).
  • Likely relatively smaller canines/incisors compared with males, with less extreme mandibular robustness.

Did You Know?

Its species name gorgops means "Gorgon-faced/eyed," referring to its strikingly elevated orbits (eye sockets) in the skull.

It's known only from fossil material-there is no complete skeleton-so size, lifespan, and many behaviors are inferred rather than directly measured.

H. gorgops is often discussed as one of the more large-bodied fossil members of the genus Hippopotamus, compared with today's Hippopotamus amphibius.

Fossils are typically found in sediments laid down by rivers and lakes, supporting a strong freshwater association like living hippos.

Its anatomy suggests an animal well-suited to keeping eyes (and likely nostrils) above water while most of the head remained submerged.

As part of the African Pliocene-Pleistocene hippopotamid record, it helps scientists track how water availability and river systems shifted through time.

Unique Adaptations

  • Exceptionally high-set eye sockets (orbits) relative to many hippopotamids, interpreted as a specialization for seeing above the water surface while remaining mostly submerged.
  • Semi-aquatic cranial "periscope" suite inferred in combination with overall hippopotamid skull design (in living hippos, eyes/ears/nostrils are positioned high on the skull; H. gorgops appears to accentuate this pattern).
  • Heavy, robust cranial and jaw architecture typical of hippopotamids, supporting powerful biting and large incisors/canines; exact tooth and skull dimensions vary by specimen and are not universally reported as a single standard measurement.
  • Aquatic ballast strategy (dense limb bones) is a hallmark of hippopotamids; while not always preserved for this species, it is a shared family-level adaptation supporting underwater walking rather than sustained swimming.

Interesting Behaviors

  • Freshwater-dependent lifestyle inferred from depositional context: fossils commonly occur in fluvial/lacustrine (river/lake) sediments, consistent with spending much of the day in water.
  • Likely "surface-watching" behavior: the unusually elevated orbits suggest an ability to see while the skull was held low and largely submerged, paralleling the living common hippopotamus's vigilance posture.
  • Probable nocturnal/crepuscular grazing on land is inferred by close relationship to Hippopotamus amphibius (a mostly nocturnal grazer) and by the general feeding ecology of hippopotamids.
  • Likely use of water as thermal refuge and protection, as in living hippos; direct behavioral evidence is not preserved, so this remains an inference from anatomy and ecology.
  • Probable intraspecific aggression/territoriality is plausible given hippopotamid social systems, but cannot be confirmed from fossils alone.

Cultural Significance

Hippopotamus gorgops left no direct cultural record because it lived before written history. It is related to the modern Hippopotamus amphibius, important in Nile and sub-Saharan river cultures. Its fossils help rebuild ancient lakes and rivers at sites where early human fossils are found.

Myths & Legends

In ancient Egypt, the protective goddess Taweret was depicted with a hippopotamus form (often a pregnant hippo with leonine/crocodilian traits), associated with safeguarding pregnancy and childbirth.

In Egyptian religion, the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus gorgops) was a dangerous river force; in Horus–Set myths, Set could be linked to or take hippopotamus form as a form of chaos that had to be stopped.

The "Behemoth" described in the Book of Job has long been interpreted in later traditions and commentaries as a hippopotamus-like river beast-an emblem of enormous, primeval strength.

Many African folktales about Hippopotamus gorgops (with local versions) tell why it lives in water, often using a deal, trick, or lesson about being humble and where it belongs between land and river.

Conservation Status

NE Not Evaluated

Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.

Population Unknown

Life Cycle

Birth 1 calf
Lifespan 40 years

Lifespan

In the Wild
30–50 years
In Captivity
40–60 years

Reproduction

Mating System Polygyny
Social Structure Harem Based
Breeding Pattern Transient
Fertilization Internal Fertilization
Birth Type Internal_fertilization

Hippopotamus gorgops is extinct and lacks mating data. By comparison with H. amphibius, it likely had a dominant male defending many females (polygyny), internal fertilization, mothers caring alone, and no cooperative breeding.

Behavior & Ecology

Social Pod Group: 15
Activity Nocturnal
Diet Herbivore C4 savanna grasses (Poaceae)

Temperament

Behavior for Hippopotamus gorgops is not directly observable; temperament is inferred from Hippopotamus amphibius and genus-level ecology.
Inferred strong intraspecific aggression in adult males around access to water and mating opportunities; threat displays include gaping/yawning and lunging in H. amphibius (Eltringham, 1999; Klingel, 2013).
Inferred general tolerance at close quarters within daytime water aggregations, punctuated by sudden aggressive interactions; juveniles remain close to mothers.
Inferred high risk to perceived intruders at water margins; in H. amphibius territoriality is strongest in water or along preferred access points, while night foraging is typically less overtly territorial (Eltringham, 1999).

Communication

Inferred low-frequency grunts and contact calls used in close-range spacing and cohesion within pods Documented in Hippopotamus amphibius: Eltringham, 1999
Inferred loud threat/advertisement vocalizations Roars/snorts) during aggressive encounters (H. amphibius: Klingel, 2013
Inferred amphibious calling Audible above water with components transmitted underwater), documented for living hippos but not testable in fossils (e.g., work summarized in Klingel, 2013
Inferred visual threat displays: wide gaping/yawning, head tossing, and charging, common in H. amphibius male-male contests Eltringham, 1999
Inferred chemical/scent marking via dung and urine, including dung-spraying with rapid tail wagging used for social signaling and territory advertisement in H. amphibius Eltringham, 1999
Inferred tactile interactions (nuzzling, mother-calf contact) within water aggregations; not directly verifiable for H. gorgops.

Habitat

River/Stream Lake Wetland Swamp Marsh Grassland Savanna Woodland Forest Rainforest +4
Biomes:
Freshwater Wetland Savanna Temperate Grassland Temperate Forest Tropical Rainforest
Terrain:
Riverine Valley Plains Muddy
Elevation: Up to 5249 ft 4 in

Ecological Role

Large-bodied semi-aquatic megaherbivore grazer (floodplain/savanna-riverine interface)

High-biomass grazing that maintains/open ups grass-dominated patches and influences plant community structure Substantial nutrient and organic-matter transfer from terrestrial grazing areas into aquatic systems via dung/urine deposition (aquatic fertilization and altered food-web productivity) Physical ecosystem engineering through trampling and creation of pathways/shoreline disturbance, affecting bank structure and microhabitats Support of scavenger/detrital food webs via dung and carcass inputs

Diet Details

Other Foods:
Grasses Wetland and riparian graminoids Riparian herbaceous vegetation and short pasture grasses Aquatic/wetland macrophytes

Human Interaction

Domestication Status

Wild

As a Pet

Not Suitable as Pet

Legality: Not applicable: Hippopotamus gorgops is extinct and cannot be kept or bought as a pet. Fossils may be collected or traded only under national or provincial heritage laws; in many African places fossils are state property or need permits.

Care Level: Expert Only

Purchase Cost:
Lifetime Cost:

Economic Value

Uses:
Scientific research value Museum/education value Heritage/tourism value Illicit antiquities/fossil market risk
Products:
  • museum exhibits and replicas (casts)
  • scientific publications and comparative datasets
  • educational media and public outreach materials
  • fossil specimens (where legal; sometimes subject to permitting/export controls)

Relationships

Predators 5

Nile crocodile
Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus
Lion
Lion Panthera leo
Spotted hyena Crocuta crocuta
Giant short-faced hyena Pachycrocuta brevirostris
Crocodile
Crocodile Crocodylus anthropophagus

Related Species 5

Common hippopotamus
Common hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius Shared Genus
European hippopotamus Hippopotamus antiquus Shared Genus
Madagascar dwarf hippopotamus Hippopotamus lemerlei Shared Genus
Cyprus dwarf hippopotamus Hippopotamus minor Shared Genus
Pygmy hippopotamus
Pygmy hippopotamus Choeropsis liberiensis Shared Family

Ecological Equivalents 5

Animals that fill a similar ecological role in their ecosystem

Common hippopotamus
Common hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius Closest living analog for ecology and behavior: amphibious river- and lake-habitat use; daytime water-basking for thermoregulation and skin protection; and predominantly nocturnal grazing on C4 grasses. Hippopotamus gorgops is widely interpreted as a large-bodied, semiaquatic grazer from late Pliocene–Pleistocene African freshwater systems.
African buffalo
African buffalo Syncerus caffer Large-bodied African grazer, strongly tied to permanent water in many ecosystems. Overlaps in floodplain and riverine grazing niches, though buffalo are fully terrestrial and herd-based. Useful ecological comparator for grazing pressure and grass-dominated diets.
Waterbuck
Waterbuck Kobus ellipsiprymnus Riparian/floodplain antelope with a strong association with water, grazing and browsing along waterways. Smaller-bodied than H. gorgops but occupies similar river-margin feeding zones.
White rhinoceros
White rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum Obligate grazer with a large daily intake and a strong influence on grassland structure. While not semiaquatic, it serves as a functional analog for megaherbivore grazing impacts in open habitats adjacent to water.
Nile crocodile
Nile crocodile Crocodylus niloticus Shares freshwater river and lake habitats and basking ecology; not a dietary analog, but a key co-occurring large-bodied aquatic vertebrate that shapes shoreline space use and risk landscapes for semiaquatic mammals (including hippopotamuses).

Hippopotamus gorgops was an earlier version of the modern-day Hippopotamus and was significantly larger. It has a similar appearance and build but was significantly bigger. Hippopotamus gorgops also outweighed present-day versions considerably. This species of Hippopotamus lived between the Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene Epoch of the Neogene Period. 

Description and Size

Hippopotamus gorgops

German scientist Wilhelm Otto Dietrich published the first description of this species in 1928. Only a few fossils have been found so far, making it difficult to tell the exact habit of this species.

©1,938 × 900 pixels, file size: 462 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg – Original / License

The name Hippopotamus means “river horse,” and it refers to a genus of hoofed mammals with only one living species, the Hippopotamus amphibius. The full name of this extinct species translates as “Gorgon-eyed river horse,” a reference to the strange positioning of the mammal’s eye, which is different from that of the modern Hippopotamus. 

The eyes of the H. gorgops were positioned on eyestalk-like orbits which extruded above its head. This would have enabled the creature to see its surroundings clearly even when almost fully submerged underwater. Modern hippos also have eyes placed above their skull, but that of the Hippopotamus gorgops was positioned a lot higher.

Aside from the slight difference in the eye configuration, H. gorgops was also bigger in size compared to their living relatives. It had an estimated length of 14 feet and was up to 6.9 feet tall at the shoulders. This Hippopotamus also weighed between 8,600–9,900 pounds. This means they were about twice as big as modern varieties that weigh between 2,800 and 3,600 pounds. 

In terms of their overall appearance, Hippopotamus gorgops weren’t remarkably different from today’s hippos. It had a barrel-shaped torso with wide-open mouths and large canine tusks. Its body was hairless, and it had sturdy, pillar-like legs. 

Diet—What Did Hippopotamus gorgops Eat?

Generally, hippos have a herbivorous diet, and their main food source is grasses. However, they have also been observed to exhibit omnivorous behavior. They’re unlikely to hunt prey actively, but they may eat flesh occasionally, given the opportunity. Given the morphology of their bodies, they’re grazers rather than browsers. A recent study that examined the isotope ecology of fossil hippopotamids revealed that the hippos started including a substantial fraction of vegetation in their diets since the late Miocene. 

Habitat—When and Where Hippopotamus gorgops Lived

Experts think Hippopotamus gorgops started life out in the plains of Africa during the Late Pliocene Epoch. However, the distribution of the fossils discovered so far suggests that they migrated into Europe later during the early Pleistocene. In fact, the first fossil that was ever discovered was found in Europe. 

Hippos have an amphibious lifestyle, and this is reflected in the morphological adaptations of species like the H. gorgops. One of the most notable ones is the placement of their eyes at an elevated position above the head. This is an adaptation seen in animals that live near or close to water bodies and spend significant amounts of time submerged below the water’s surface. The elevated eyes made it possible for the Hippopotamus to see above the water when submerged. 

Threats and Predators

Modern hippos are built to kill, and their ancient ancestors would have been equally extremely dangerous. Given their massive size and massive bite force, this voracious aquatic mammal would have easily defended itself against crocodilians and the big cats that would have been abundant in its days. 

Modern hippos have a bite force of up to 8,100 Newtons, and that of their ancient relatives would have been significantly higher. They’re also built to run very fast over short distances. All of these, coupled with their sheer bulk, would have protected them against predators. Only juveniles were at significant risk of predators. 

In their later days, Hippopotamus gorgops probably had run-ins with humans. There’s a chance that prehistoric humans hunted them, possibly contributing to their extinction. That’s asides from the possible environmental threats they faced during the Paleogene. 

Discoveries and Fossils—Where Hippopotamus gorgops was Found

German scientist Wilhelm Otto Dietrich published the first description of this species in 1928. Only a few fossils have been found so far, making it difficult to tell the exact habit of this species. One of the most informative fossils of the Hippopotamus gorgops was discovered during an archaeological excavation at a site in El Kherba, Algeria. The site dates back to the Early Pleistocene epoch and has yielded several Hippopotamus fossils, including a skull that experts think belonged to Hippopotamus gorgops based on the cranial features and general profile. Bones belonging to this species were also found in a nearby locality of Ain Hanisch. Scientists also found bones of this Hippopotamus at Ubeidiya, Israel, dating back to 1.6 million years ago. This suggests that they migrated out of Africa around 1.6 million years ago.

Extinction—When Did Hippopotamus gorgops Die Out?

Hippopotamus gorgops became extinct during the Middle Pleistocene Epoch. This was around the same time as the ice age, which occurred around 1.25–0.7 million years ago. Experts think the species migrated out of Africa long before their extinction (about 1.6 million years ago), along with many other important species. 

Similar Animals to the Hippopotamus gorgops

Similar dinosaurs to the Hippopotamus gorgops include: 

  • Hippopotamus behemoth — This is an extinct species of Hippopotamus that lived during the early Pleistocene in the eastern Mediterranean region of western Asia. The H. behemoth was so similar to the gorgops that some scientists think they might have been the same species existing in different parts of the world.
  • Hippopotamus amphibious — This is the only living species of Hippopotamus left in the Hippopotamus genus and one of only two species in the family Hippopotamidae. It is similar in appearance to the H. gorgops but significantly smaller. 
  • Pygmy hippopotamus — This is a small-sized hippopotamid native to the forests and swamps of West Africa. Although it has the same appearance as the typical Hippopotamus, it is significantly smaller. 
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Sources

  1. Wikipedia / Accessed November 2, 2022
  2. ZSL Journal of Zoology / J. M. Harris,T. E. Cerling,M. G. Leakey,B. H. Passey / Published July 9, 2008 / Accessed November 2, 2022
  3. Prehistoric Fauna / Accessed November 2, 2022
Abdulmumin Akinde

About the Author

Abdulmumin Akinde

Abdulmumin is a pharmacist and a top-rated content writer who can pretty much write on anything that can be researched on the internet. However, he particularly enjoys writing about animals, nature, and health. He loves animals, especially horses, and would love to have one someday.
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Hippopotamus gorgops FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Hippopotamus gorgops first appeared in Africa during the late Pliocene Epoch. It migrated out of Africa about 1.6 million years ago and became extinct during the Middle Pleistocene. This was before the Pleistocene ice age occurred.

 

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