Mammal
Giant Lacustrine Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus gorgopsAlso known as Gorgops Hippo, Gorgops Hippopotamus, Giant African Hippo
Gorgops hippos were aquatic titans that dominated African and Levantine water bodies during the Early to Middle Pleistocene. Skulls feature remarkably elevated, periscope-like eye sockets positioned high above the cranial roof, allowing them to survey shorelines while nearly submerged. Their vast bulk anchored them to deep, permanent lakes where herds grazed heavily on shoreline and emergent vegetation.
Semi-AquaticHerbivore
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyHerbivore (aquatic plants, reeds, shoreline grasses)
Predators
- Homo erectus
- Crocodylus thorbjarnarsoni
ThreatsPleistocene climate shifts, habitat desiccation, hominin hunting
HabitatsDeep lakes, river floodplains, permanent wetlands
Life span40–50 years (estimated)
Classification
- OrderArtiodactyla
- FamilyHippopotamidae
- GenusHippopotamus
- SpeciesHippopotamus gorgops
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskHigh
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is high
- Extinct species known only from fossils; safe to examine in museum collections.
Responsible observation
- Fossil Displays: Examine the elevated, stalk-like eye sockets on museum skull specimens.
- Paleontological Sites: Leave newly uncovered megafauna fossils undisturbed and alert researchers.
Image unavailablePredator 
Predator Eduard Pop et al. / CC BY 4.0 · cc-by
Close Relative Muhammad Mahdi Karim / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
Same Family Bardrock / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
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