Pygmy hippos are about one-tenth the size of common hippos, and they are a completely separate species. In 1985-86, five animals (4 females, 1 male) were radio-collared in Azagny National Park, Côte d’Ivoire, and tracked for 3-6 months (Bülow 1988).
The pygmy hippo …
Fascinatingly, a pygmy hippo, unlike its other family members, is approximately only the size of a pig. To make the size fo this hippo even more spectacular is the fact that they were only 0.7 metres (2.5 feet) tall. The pygmy hippo is not as aquatic as its other family member, though, it hides in the water when pursued.
The largest Madagascar Dwarf Hippo that we know about was roughly 2 metres (6.5 feet) in length, which isn’t quite as small as the House Hippo in the video above but they are still quite tiny compared to the regular sized creatures roaming earth today. This study found that female home ranges overlapped and estimated that they covered 40-60 ha, while the home range of the male covered 150 ha. Little is known about pygmy hippo ranging patterns, home range size or territoriality.
Pygmy hippos are more a manageable size; they are therefore not dangerous to humans as their bigger relatives. They stand 2 and a half feet tall and measure 5 feet from head to tail. Adult pygmy hippos reach 70-80 cm in height and are believed to have diverged from the common hippo over 10 million years ago. The Pygmy Hippo resembles a real life pygmy hippopotamus, with its appearance being almost identical to the Hippo. They have longer legs, a rounder, narrower face, and spend less time in the water. This makes them not exactly tiny, but then regular hippos are so much bigger! Although Pygmy hippos resemble their larger relatives, the Common Hippo, closer observation can define several differences. Pygmy hippos are relatively smaller and weigh between 350 – 550 pounds. The pygmy hippo is only half as tall as the hippopotamus and weighs less than 1/4 of a full sized hippopotamus. Less gregarious than the common hippos, it occurs in the lowland tropical forests with one or two others or alone. The Pygmy Hippo is the second hippo in the game. Pygmy hippos differ from hipposmainly in being smaller: they are only about half as tall and long, and weigh only 180-275 kg (400-600 lbs).