Common Hippopotamus
Common HippopotamusCommon HippopotamusCommon HippopotamusCommon Hippopotamus

Common Hippopotamus

Hippopotamus amphibius

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
30–40% · Possible
overall probability at Virunga National Park
88 Verified records at Virunga National Park
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 →

30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Common Hippopotamus sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 88 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Virunga National Park

African Buffalo
NT

African Buffalo

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Syncerus caffer

30–40% · Possible
Kob
LC

Kob

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Kobus kob

20–30% · Possible
Waterbuck
LC

Waterbuck

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Kobus ellipsiprymnus

20–30% · Possible
Common Warthog
LC

Common Warthog

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Phacochoerus africanus

20–30% · Possible
Topi

Topi

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Damaliscus korrigum

20–30% · Possible
Giant Forest Hog
LC

Giant Forest Hog

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Hylochoerus meinertzhageni

10–20% · With luck
Northern Bushbuck
LC

Northern Bushbuck

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tragelaphus scriptus

10–20% · With luck
Black Fronted Duiker
LC

Black Fronted Duiker

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Cephalophus nigrifrons

5–10% · With luck
Weyns's Duiker
LC

Weyns's Duiker

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Cephalophus weynsi

5–10% · Rare
Sitatunga
LC

Sitatunga

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tragelaphus spekii

Insufficient data
Northern Giraffe
VU

Northern Giraffe

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Giraffa camelopardalis

Insufficient data
Light-backed Duiker
NT

Light-backed Duiker

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Cephalophus silvicultor

Insufficient data

📅 Monthly Probability

40–50
Jan
40–50
Feb
10–20
Mar
20–30
Apr
20–30
May
30–40
Jun
20–30
Jul
20–30
Aug
40–50
Sep
20–30
Oct
5–10
Nov
20–30
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

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

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Hippopotamus in Virunga National Park?

About 31% of wildlife watchers report a Common Hippopotamus sighting in Virunga National Park, based on 88 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Hippopotamus in Virunga National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Common Hippopotamus in Virunga National Park in our monthly data.

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