Just How Heavy Are Hippos? Discover How Much Hippos Weigh

Hippopotamuses are some of nature’s heavyweights. Their massive size and aggressive temperament have earned them a spot as Africa’s deadliest animal time and time again. It’s hard to imagine just how large they are unless you see one in person. However, there are also pygmy hippos, which are much smaller than common hippos. Let’s take a look and learn just how much these hippos weigh.

How Much Does a Hippo Weigh?

Common hippos (Hippopotamus amphibius) are generally considered the third largest land animals after elephants and rhinos. Female hippos weigh 3,053 pounds on average, but they can reach up to 4,080 pounds. Male hippos weigh 3,408 pounds on average, but they can generally reach up to 4,552 pounds. Many sources cite that male hippos can weigh up to 9,900 pounds. However, researchers with the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance note that this number appears to reference an old source, and may not be accurate. Common hippos stand around 4.9-5.4 feet tall. Female hippos measure 9.5-14 feet long, while males typically measure 10-16.6 feet long.

Pygmy hippos (Choeropsis liberiensis) are much smaller, weighing between 400 to 600 pounds as adults. They generally stand between 2.5 and 3.5 feet tall. Females measure around 4.9 feet long, while males measure 5.15 feet long.

When Do Hippos Reach Their Full Weight?

Common hippos have a gestation period of up to 240 days before giving birth, and they typically give birth to one baby at a time. They can give birth to one calf per year in good conditions. Generally, baby hippos weigh around 50 to 121 pounds at birth. They nurse for 6 to 8 months. Calves begin grazing at around one month of age, with more substantial grazing at 5 months. They will weigh around 500 pounds by their first birthday. Female hippos usually mature between the ages of five and six, but generally don’t fully stop growing until they are 25 years old. Males are a bit different; they mature more slowly and continue to grow throughout their lives.

Pygmy hippos have a gestation period of around 188 days. Calves weigh between 12 and 13 pounds at birth. They rely exclusively on milk until they begin eating some solids between 2 and 4 months of age. Like common hippos, they are weaned at around 6 to 8 months old. They reach maturity and their full size between three to five years of age.

How Much Food Do Hippos Eat?

Common hippos are primarily grazers, but they may also include browse in their diets. Although they are semi-aquatic, they rarely, if ever, eat aquatic plants. Instead, they graze and forage on land. They typically graze for 5 to 6 hours per night.

Pygmy hippos eat more browse and little grass. They tend to have a higher quality diet than common hippos. Their primary food consists of the leaves and roots of plants, herbs, ferns, and fruits. Pygmy hippos also graze up to 6 hours each night.

Both common hippos and pygmy hippos eat about 1% to 1.5% of their body weight per day. On average, common hippos are known to eat around 55 to 88 pounds of food per day. Since pygmy hippos are so much smaller than common hippos, they eat far less food, typically eating between 4 and 9 pounds of food per day.