6 Weird Hippo Facts for a 6-Year-Old

Here are six silly and surprising things about hippos. I will tell one fact at a time so it is easy to remember!

1. Fact 1: Hippos seem to sweat red.

   They have a reddish-orange liquid on their skin that looks like blood, but it is not blood. It helps keep their skin safe from the sun and from germs.

2. Fact 2: Hippos have really big mouths and teeth.

   A hippo can open its mouth very wide. Its big teeth look scary, but it mostly uses them to show off or to scare other hippos.

3. Fact 3: Hippos spend a lot of time in the water.

   They sit and sleep in rivers and lakes to stay cool. They don’t float like ducks; they often walk or push along the bottom of the water.

4. Fact 4: Hippos can make loud noises above and under the water.

   They grunt, honk, and even make sounds that travel through the water so other hippos can hear them.

5. Fact 5: Hippo moms protect their babies a lot.

   Mother hippos stay close to their babies and keep them safe. Baby hippos sometimes nurse while in the water.

6. Fact 6: Hippos spread poop by wagging their tails.

   When a hippo poops, it sometimes spins its tail so the poop flies around. That helps mark their home spot — that is a funny trick!

Want a little game? Pretend to be a hippo: open your mouth wide like in fact 2, then wag an imaginary tail like in fact 6. Can you make a loud hippo honk?