The familiar Nile Hippopotamus, Hippopotamus amphibius, is the third largest land mammal behind the elephant and the rhinoceros. Large males can weigh in at 3,600 kg. The pygmy hippo, Choeropsis liberiensis (or Hexaprotodon liberiensis) is much smaller than its larger cousin and weighs in at around 250 kg. The pygmy hippo inhabits the dense undergrowth of the forests of the Ivory Coast, Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. The pygmy hippo is less aquatic than the Nile hippo and lives a solitary life. Scientists estimate less than 3,000 pygmy hippos still survive in the wild.
The giant Nile hippo has been known outside of Africa since ancient times. The pygmy hippo remained a legend known to native peoples and early explorers in Western Africa. Stories of its existence surfaced only as traveller's tales outside of Africa in the 19th century. A pygmy hippo skull finally reached a scientist in 1844. It was another fifty years before living pygmy hippos were captured by an expedition financed by the famous German zoo director Carl Hagenbeck. Observations of the animal in the wild were not made until the 1980s. In 1927 rubber magnate Harvey Firestone gifted U. S. President Calvin Coolidge with a male pygmy hippo named Billy. Billy is the ancestor of almost all pygmy hippos currently living in zoos in the United States.
Like the Okapi and the Mountain Gorilla, the pygmy hippo demonstrates that native legends and occasional sightings can refer to a real animal.
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In addition to the stamps listed below, Liberia issued a silver dollar coin in 1994 which depicts the pygmy hippopotamus. |
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This stamp is one of a set of four depicting African wildlife. |
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This stamp is part of a set of seven depicting wild animals. Other stamps in the series show the elephant, rhinoceros, wart hog, cheetah, giraffe, and okapi. |
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This stamp is part of a set of three stamps. The others depict the manatee and the royal antelope. |
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This stamp was issued to support wildlife protection. |
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This stamp is one of a set of six triangles. The others depict a hornbill, a bushbuck, a West African dwarf buffalo, a lesser egret, and President E. J. Barclay. |
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This stamp is part of a set of six stamps depicting African animals issued under the auspices of the World Wildlife Fund. Also see the first day cover. |
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First in a set of four stamps depicting the pygmy hippopotamus issued under the auspices of the World Wildlife Fund. Also see the first day cover and the deluxe proof with a first-day cancel. |
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Second in a set of four stamps depicting the pygmy hippopotamus issued under the auspices of the World Wildlife Fund. Also see the first day cover. |
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Third in a set of four stamps depicting the pygmy hippopotamus issued under the auspices of the World Wildlife Fund. Also see the first day cover. |
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Fourth in a set of four stamps depicting the pygmy hippopotamus issued under the auspices of the World Wildlife Fund. Also see the first day cover. |
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This stamp is part of a set of six stamps depicting endangered species. Another stamp in this set shows the mountain gorilla. |
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This stamp is part of a set depicting African wildlife. |
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This stamp appears on a souvenir sheet which is part of a set of stamps depicting African wildlife. The souvenir sheet also depicts the giant forest hog. |
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Last modified by pib on July 6, 2003.
