{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "pygmy-hippopotamus",
  "name": "Pygmy Hippopotamus",
  "scientificName": "Choeropsis liberiensis",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) is a small, forest-dwelling cousin of the common hippo found only in West Africa — mostly Liberia. Adults weigh 180–275 kg (400–600 lb) and live around 30–35 years; fewer than about 2,500 mature individuals are thought to remain, making it Endangered.",
  "conservationStatus": "Endangered",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Artiodactyla",
    "family": "Hippopotamidae",
    "genus": "Choeropsis"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 240,
    "lengthM": 1.6,
    "topSpeedKmh": 30,
    "lifespanYears": 35
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Choeropsis liberiensis"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Leaves, ferns, fallen fruit, and other forest plants"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Lowland rainforest rivers and swamps of Liberia and neighbouring West African countries"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "30–35 years in the wild; over 40 years in captivity"
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "180–275 kg (400–600 lb) — about a tenth of a common hippo"
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Around 30 km/h (19 mph) in short bursts on land"
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Endangered (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Lowland rainforest of West Africa, chiefly Liberia, with smaller populations in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Côte d'Ivoire.",
    "continents": [
      "Africa"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pygmy-hippopotamus/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/pygmy-hippopotamus/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}