The Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) or Greek "river
horse") is a large, plant-eating African mammal,
one of only two living and three (or four) recently extinct
species in the family Hippopotamidae. Hippopotamuses ('hippopotami'
is also accepted as a plural form by the OED), also called
hippos, are gregarious, living in groups of up to 40 animals.
They spend most of the day up to their nostrils in the
waters of tropical rivers, as they are highly susceptible
to sunburn. For additional protection from the sun their
skin secretes a natural sunscreen substance which is red
colored. This secretion is sometimes referred to as "blood
sweat," but it is not actually blood. Hippos can
close their nostrils and remain completely submerged for
more than ten minutes.
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