Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Cordats)
ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
OrderArtiodactyla (Artiodàctils)
FamilyHippopotamidae (Hippopotamuses)
GenusHippopotamus (Nile Hippopotamuses)
SpeciesHippopotamus amphibius (Common Hippopotamus)

Insufficient data

overall probability at Samburu National Reserve

2 Verified records at Samburu National Reserve

☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius; ; pl.: hippopotamuses or hippopotami), often shortened to hippo (pl.: hippos), 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 (Choeropsis liberiensis or Hexaprotodon liberiensis). Its name comes from the Ancient Greek for "river horse" (ἱπποπόταμος). After elephants and rhinoceroses, the hippopotamus is the next largest land mammal. It is also the largest extant land artiodactyl. Despite their physical resemblance to pigs and other terrestrial even-toed ungulates, the closest living relatives of the hippopotamids are cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises, etc.), from which they diverged about 55 million years ago. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Samburu National Reserve

Madoqua kirkii

70–80% · Very likely

Nanger granti

70–80% · Very likely

Aepyceros melampus

60–70% · Likely

Phacochoerus aethiopicus

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

Litocranius walleri

Giraffa reticulata

Oryx beisa

Madoqua guentheri

Tragelaphus strepsiceros

30–40% · Possible

Phacochoerus africanus

Insufficient data

Camelus dromedarius

Insufficient data

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

📅 Monthly Probability

📊

Fewer than 5 records of Common Hippopotamus at Samburu National Reserve — not enough to chart months honestly.

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Probability
1	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	70–80%
2	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	60–70%
3	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	60–70%
4	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	60–70%
5	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	60–70%
6	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	60–70%
7	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	60–70%
8	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	60–70%
9	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	50–60%
10	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	50–60%
11	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	50–60%
12	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	50–60%
13	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	50–60%
14	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	50–60%
15	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	50–60%
16	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	50–60%
17	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	50–60%
18	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	50–60%
19	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	50–60%
20	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	50–60%
21	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	40–50%
22	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	40–50%
23	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	40–50%
24	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	40–50%
25	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	40–50%
26	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	40–50%
27	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	30–40%
28	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	30–40%
29	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	30–40%
30	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	30–40%
31	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	30–40%
32	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	20–30%
33	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	10–20%
34	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	10–20%
35	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	10–20%
36	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	5–10%
37	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	5–10%
38	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
39	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
40	Garden Route National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data

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Common Hippopotamus

Closest Relatives at Samburu National Reserve

Kirk's Dik-dik

Grant's Gazelle

Impala

Desert Warthog

Waterbuck

Gerenuk

Reticulated Giraffe

East African Oryx

Günther's Dik-dik

Greater Kudu

Common Warthog

Dromedary Camel

📅 Monthly Probability

☀️ When They're Spotted

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found