Hippos

common hippos

live in loose, social, polygamous groups of females with offspring and territorial males

pygmy hippos

found solitary or in pairs and have a nocturnal lifestyle close to water

hippo reproduction

• Sexually mature at 3 years of age

• Females can have up to 25 calves in 40-year life span

• Inter-calving periods of 1.5-2 years

• 30-day cycles and are polyestrous

• Placenta is Epitheliochorial

  • Important there is colostrum when calf is born

• In males, the testes are partially descended and remain in inguinal canal

hippo contraceptives

females:

• Using synthetic progestins such as melengestrol acetate (MGA) in the feed or medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) via shots

  • Disadvantages: must be administered on a regular basis and the duration of efficacy for MGA is 24 hour (so administered daily) and for MPA it is 6 weeks

males:

• castrate (no scrotum though, so you take testicles out)