See Our Nile Hippos
Here at the Gulf Breeze Zoo, we are home to three Nile hippos: Kiboko, Cleopatra, and their son, Kibuzo.
Learn What Hippos Eat
Did you know that hippos only eat grasses and fallen fruit? In their native habitat, they graze for four or five hours a day, eating a small amount based on their body weight.
Tour the Animal’s Habitat
Get up close and personal with them during a hippo encounter, where you will learn fun facts about their daily life, how we care for them here and how we train them. You might also catch a glimpse of them while on a safari express train ride.
QUICK FACTS
Conservation status: Vulnerable
Average Lifespan: 40-50 years
Gestation period: 243 days
Average land speed: 19 mph
IN THE WILD
The world’s third-largest land mammal, Nile hippopotamuses weigh around 3,000 pounds, eating mostly grasses. They spend up to 16 hours a day underwater to keep cool but when they’re on land, they can run up to 30 miles per hour.
CONSERVATION
Hippos are considered vulnerable, meaning their population is diminishing. Up to 130,000 hippos remain in the wild. The loss of habitat is the primary reason for their decline.