Unlike common hippos, which live in large groups and spend their days visible in rivers, pygmy hippos are solitary and nocturnal — they come out mostly at night to feed on roots, grasses, fallen fruit and aquatic plants. During the day they hide in dense undergrowth or rest in shallow water, which makes them extremely difficult to spot.
Pygmy hippos secrete a special pinkish, oily fluid from their skin that acts like a built-in sunscreen and moisturiser. This is not blood — it is a unique substance that keeps their skin from drying out and may also help protect against bacteria. Common hippos produce the same fluid, which is why people once thought hippos sweated blood (they do not!).
The pygmy hippopotamus is classified as endangered, with fewer than 2,500 thought to remain in the wild. Most live in the forests of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast. Protecting their habitat — the forests and rivers where they hide — is the most important thing people can do to make sure pygmy hippos survive.