Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo vs Ontong Java Flying Fox

Hippopotamus amphibius compared with Pteropus howensis

Key Differences

• Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo is Vulnerable while Ontong Java Flying Fox is Critically Endangered.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo	Ontong Java Flying Fox
Kingdom same	Animalia (สัตว์)	Animalia (สัตว์)
Phylum same	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)
Class same	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)
Order	Artiodactyla (อันดับสัตว์กีบคู่)	Chiroptera (ค้างคาว)
Family	Hippopotamidae (Hippos)	Pteropodidae (Fruit Bats)
Genus	Hippopotamus (Hippos)	Pteropus (Flying Foxes)
Species	Hippopotamus amphibius	Pteropus howensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo and Ontong Java Flying Fox share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)

Conservation Status

Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~130.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Ontong Java Flying Fox

CR — Critically Endangered

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo	Ontong Java Flying Fox
Diet	Herbivore	—
Average Lifespan	40 years	—
Average Length	3.5 m	—
Average Weight	1.5 t	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Kenya. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Ontong Java Flying Fox

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Common Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus, Large Hippo

Africa's most dangerous large mammal, common hippos can reach 3,200 kg and inhabit rivers, lakes, and wetlands of sub-Saharan Africa. Semi-aquatic, spending up to 16 hours daily submerged to keep cool, they graze on land at night. Despite appearing docile, hippos are extremely aggressive and territorial, responsible for hundreds of human fatalities annually. Vulnerable, with populations threatened by habitat loss and illegal hunting for ivory tusks.