This hippopotamus toy is a small, plastic, standing figure. Look at that mouth! Sorry you can't see it here, but the inside is bright pink.

The hippopotamus (Hippopotamidae) spends most of its life in the rivers and lakes of Africa. Hippopotamus babies are born and nursed in the water. Mature hippos are dangerous and often engage in vicious fights with each other. As hippo expert Hans Klingel once noted, "Few animals are as recognizable as the hippopotamus." Indeed, it is almost impossible to mistake a hippopotamus for anything else. The body is long, barrel-shaped, and very deep. [I always thought they were more potato-shaped.] The limbs are short and pillar-like, with four toes on each foot. The hippo's neck is short and quite thick in order to support the weight of the massive head. The ears are small and round, the eyes are bulbous and protruding, and the muzzle is broad and rounded. The hippo's mouth is especially large; in fact, the hippo can open its mouth wider than any other living animal except the whales. The upper and lower canine teeth--often referred to as tusks--are long, thick, and very sharp. The animal has no hair except for a few stiff bristles on its muzzle, ears, and stubby tail. The skin color ranges from slate gray to copper brown on the back to pinkish purple on the belly and around the ears and eyes.



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