World Hippo Day: History, Facts & Insights

This is an in-depth look at all the must-know facts about World Hippo Day (2024) 🗓️ that no one tells you about. World Hippo Day is observed on February 15th.

Among the information you’ll find below: the history of World Hippo Day, activities to do on and how to observe this holiday, as well as fun facts you may want to know about World Hippo Day.

📅 What day is World Hippo Day 2024?

In 2024, World Hippo Day is on Wednesday, February 15th. It is the 3rd Wednesday in February; in 2024, it is Thursday. There are until the next observance. You also can view all the exciting details and facts about February 15, 2023, that you might not be aware of.

Every year on February 15, we celebrate the incredible hippopotamus and raise awareness about the need to protect it from extinction. It’s interesting to note that scientists used to classify hippos as pigs before 1909, despite their resemblance to pigs and wild boars. In reality, hippos are actually related to whales, dolphins, and porpoises. These semi-aquatic creatures can be found in Sub-Saharan Africa and are herbivores. They can weigh up to 2,000 kg, making them the third-largest land animals after elephants and rhinos. Hippos are predominantly found in rivers, lakes, and mangrove swamps.

📜 World Hippo Day History

All species of anthracotheres, except for those that evolved into the Hippopotamidae family, became extinct during the Pliocene Epoch around two million years ago. The ancient ancestors of hippos arrived in Africa approximately 35 million years ago and became dominant as one of the first large animals on the continent. The earliest known hippopotamid, called Kenyapotamus, lived in Africa between 16 and 8 million years ago. However, the contemporary hippo’s ancestor was Archaeopotamus, which existed in Africa and the Middle East from 7.5 to 1.8 million years ago.

Before the last ice age, there were hippopotamus ancestors in Europe and the British Isles, including species like Hippopotamus antiquus, Hippopotamus major, and Hippopotamus gorgops. However, these hippos went extinct for unknown reasons, and it is believed that human activity may have played a role.

During the Pleistocene epoch, European hippo ancestors colonized various Mediterranean islands, where they evolved and eventually went extinct. Examples of such hippos include the Cyprus dwarf hippopotamus, Hippopotamus pentlandi, Hippopotamus melitensis, and Hippopotamus creutzburgi. All hippos in the supercontinent of Eurasia became extinct between 50,000 and 16,000 years ago.

Although there were anthracothere genera in North America during the early Oligocene period, which was over 23 million years ago, no evidence of hippos has been found on the continent. Numerous attempts have been made to introduce hippos to the United States, but none have been successful, except for an illegal introduction by Pablo Escobar in the late 1980s. Since then, the hippo population in Colombia has grown to over 100 individuals.

✅ World Hippo Day Facts

🔖 Hippos have natural sun cream
While the hippo is enjoying some sun, it releases a protective oily substance in a reddish-orange color. This slime acts as a barrier, safeguarding the hippo’s skin from both UV radiation and harmful microorganisms.

🔖 Hippos are related to whales
Around 54 million years ago, there were aquatic ancestors of both hippos and whales.

🔖 Hippos don’t really swim
Instead of swimming, hippos walk or run along the riverbank.

👍 Why Is World Hippo Day Important

Hippos are now classified as vulnerable, with an estimated 115,000 to 130,000 living in the wild. Poaching, a lack of fresh water, mechanical farming, and urbanization have all contributed to their population decline. World Hippo Day draws attention to the threats that hippos face and encourages people to take action, whether through education, conservation efforts, or donations to animal conservation organizations.

Hippo dung, or solid waste, offers the required nutrients for life in the environment to thrive in rivers and lakes. If hippos become extinct, some fish species and algae populations may suffer, eventually leading to food shortages in African water basins such as Lake Victoria.

Hippos are the only mammals that can live on land and in water. It acts as a link between the two worlds, absorbing nutrients from the land and emptying them into bodies of water. Despite having delicate skin, they are among the most aggressive animals. Despite their massive size, they can outrun an Olympic sprinter. All of these factors combine to make the hippo an interesting animal.

🙂 How To Observe World Hippo Day

⚡ Donate to an animal foundation
The population of hippos in the wild is declining, and efforts to prevent their extinction are being made by various animal conservation organizations. Your support is crucial for their success, and one way you can contribute is by making a donation. Even a small amount, like a dollar, can make a difference and potentially save a hippo’s life.

⚡ Go and see a hippo
Without a doubt, this is the ultimate way to commemorate an occasion. It is possible to spot a hippo in various places. For instance, you can visit a nearby zoo to witness the hippo exhibit. Alternatively, you can embark on an African safari adventure, with numerous travel companies specializing in this type of tourism. Such safaris offer the opportunity to have an intimate encounter with these magnificent creatures.

⚡ Watch a film featuring hippos
We really enjoy the movie “Madagascar,” which is an animated film featuring various zoo animals, including a hippo named Gloria. On World Hippo Day, you have the option to watch Gloria and her fellow zoo animal buddies as they encounter misadventures, or you can browse your movie streaming platform for another film that includes hippos.

📅 When is World Hippo Day?

You can view all 🔗 February holidays, including 🔗 Animal and other 🔗 Awareness holidays.

We will continue to update this page with new information and fun facts about World Hippo Day. So be sure to check back soon.