What kind of limbs do we have: legs or feet? The hippo is definitely legs!

The only representative of the genus Hippopotamus to date is the animal behemoth. This is a mammalian creature that belongs to the category of cloven-hoofed animals. Someone calls him a watery awkward horse, others are compared to pigs. Most of the time the animal spends in the water, and on land comes out only at night to get food and eat it. Because of this, the legs (or paws) of the hippopotamus have an awkward structure. They are thick, short and uneven, as a result of which their owners move quite amusingly, limping and clubbing.

All the features of the form

Today, the hippopotamus is considered one of the largest animals on the planet. By body weight, he can compete with a rhinoceros and at the same time take second place after an elephant. Previously, people compared this mammal to pigs, since the lifestyle, parameters and other characteristics are very similar. However, scientists of our time are confident that the closest relative of this animal is .... whale! It is also important to note that, by virtue of this hypothesis, it becomes clear why the legs, or paws, of a hippopotamus have a somewhat deformed structure. If this species is intended for habitation in large waters, and its extremely large body (with a mass of 4 tons) can sail the seas, its so large limbs can be considered a rudiment.

What is the structure of the limbs of the hippopotamus?

Nowadays, both children and adults are often interested in the question of what are the extremities of this mammal: legs or feet? At the hippopotamus, from the scientific point of view, the parts of the body that perform the supporting function are precisely the legs. These are four limbs, coarse and curved, which in proportion to the main body of the animal are very short and yet very thick. They are covered with rough skin, on the soles of the feet there are a lot of calluses and corns, thanks to which the hippo does not have too high sensitivity. There are four fingers on each foot of the hippo, which are not separated from the outside, but have only a characteristic relief.

Features of the legs of the hippopotamus

As already mentioned above, the hippo has legs with fingers, but they are not divided among themselves. Instead, the front of the leg is covered with a kind of hoof, which can be compared to a horse's leg. This allows the animal to move both on land and on the bottom of a water body without injuring its limbs. Because of this feature, many zoologists often refer this mammal to the category of artiodactyls and equate to horses, which is also very strange. In fact, these animals are unique in their own way, moreover, at the present time they began to actively die out, which forced the Nature Conservancy Society to veto hunting them.

Hippos habitat

These days, these endangered animals live only in Africa. They occupy both desert territories and landscaped, cooler areas of the southern part of the continent. In distant, we can say, prehistoric times, this species could also be found in the Middle East, but then all hippos moved from there and concentrated in the Sahara region. It is important to know that, despite numerous prohibitions, the local African population continues to hunt for hippos. Here they are killed most often for food, because, as the natives themselves say, their meat in many African countries is considered the most delicious.

Hippopotamus and man

Many children, following the stories of good fairy tales, are sure that behemoths are the kindest creatures that live in lakes and rivers and are very neutral or even friendly towards everyone around them. In fact, cases of attacks of these mammals on a person are by no means a rarity in the vastness of Africa. Here, this beast is considered to be the most dangerous, and the number of attacks on its part towards the person is much greater than that of cheetahs, lions or buffaloes. Saves only the fact that the hippo's legs are in bad harmony with the mass of his body, as a result of which the animal moves relatively slowly overland. Also, the animal reacts strongly to external stimuli and in most cases, in the absence of visual and any other contact, does not touch anyone. However, the psyche of hippopotamus is not thoroughly studied, therefore it is recommended to stay away from them in the wild, and they can be examined in detail in zoos and in conditions that are safe for life.

Conclusion

By referring to the limbs of animal bodies, many people are often confused: legs or paws. The hippopotamus has unequivocally legs that have a somewhat deformed structure due to the extremely large body weight. It is also the limbs in this case play a determining role, as a result of which these animals are constantly referred to different classes. Well, they carelessly and carelessly continue for many millennia to cool in the waters of lakes and rivers, which leave only at night.