Genus and Species:
Hippopotamus amphibius

Collective Term:
A huddle of hippos

Hippos are highly complex creatures, easily recognizable by their large bodies and slow-moving lifestyles. While hippos aren't the only animal personalities with such grand frames, they tend to be somewhat self conscious about their ballast, disguising it with loose clothing and avoiding social interactions.

Most hippos never really accept themselves for who they are. Traditionally viewed as jolly fat people, they have tried every diet on the market. The hippo's heart is a cauldron of powerfully conflicting feelings and the average hippo loves to wallow in this emotional stew. It's not that a hippo gets angry more often than others, it's just that its emotion tends to be magnified to an outrageous degree. In fact, the wild variety of hippo kills more people than any other predator in Africa, including the malevolent crocodile.

Despite this occasionally destructive behavior there is no bigger heart beating in the animal kingdom. Hippos are loving, warm, creatures who are concerned with the emotional well-being of everyone they know.

Everything about the hippo is big and slow, but once it has gained momentum watch out! Its performance in the boudoir is no exception and the hippo's mate must be able to handle some fierce lovin'. When it mates it prefers others of equally oversized dimensions such as elephants and rhinoceroses, but is best suited for marriage with water-based animals like sea lions and dolphins. It is the ponderous walrus, however, that is its ideal mate, for it shares the hippo's passion for food and opulence. Think Tom and Roseanne.