Where to see Common Hippopotamus
The parks with the most verified sightings, out of 200+ safari areas where it has been recorded.
- 1Masai Mara National ReserveCommonPark
Maasai Mara Ecosystem, Kenya · Common
- 2Mara Triangle ConservancyCommonLodges
Northern Tanzania Safari Circuit, Tanzania · Common
- 3Kruger National ParkOccasionalLodges
Greater Kruger & Mpumalanga Lowveld, South Africa · Occasional
- 4Incomati ConservancyOccasionalPark
Southern Coastal & Maputo Bay, Mozambique · Occasional
- 5Ngorongoro Conservation AreaOccasionalLodges
Northern Tanzania Safari Circuit, Tanzania · Occasional
Common: 500+ verified sightings. Occasional: 50 to 499. Rare: under 50.
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Common Hippopotamus facts
Quick facts
Facts sourced from Wikidata (CC0).
Best months to spot
Most sightings recorded in Jul, Aug. Data from GBIF - a global database of verified wildlife observations by researchers and citizen scientists.
Conservation status
Faces a high risk of extinction in the wild.
Hippos face threats from habitat loss and fragmentation due to human development and agriculture, as well as poaching for meat and ivory. While there are ongoing efforts to protect key habitats and reduce human-wildlife conflict, their populations are declining. Responsible safari tourism plays a vital role by generating revenue for conservation initiatives and providing economic incentives for local communities to protect these animals and their environments.
Conservation hubAbout the common hippopotamus
The hippopotamus, often shortened to hippo, further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus and river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Saharan Africa. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being the pygmy hippopotamus. Its name comes from the Ancient Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος).
Adapted from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.