Hippopotamus amphibius

Monster-mouthed and massive bodied, the hippopotamus are the river royalty. Their scientific name means 'river horse'. Hippos are great swimmers and can stay under water for up to eight minutes. At night they leave the water to graze on grasses, eating up to 59 kilos, and return to spend all day resting in the water.

Hippos are gregarious and live in 'pods'. Even so bulls often fight, inflicting horrific wounds with their enormous canine teeth. A thick layer of fat beneath the skin provides some protection but sometimes the damage is fatal.