Maltese dwarf hippopotamus (SciiFii)

The Maltese dwarf hippopotamus (Hippopotamus melitensis), also known as the Maltese pygmy hippopotamus, the dwarf mountain hippopotamus, the pygmy mountain hippopotamus, and the mountain hippopotamus, is a species of hippopotamus native to Malta and was once extinct, but has since been brought back from extinction by SciiFii and reintroduced back to Malta to help boost biodiversity. The hippopotamus that were the ancestors of the Maltese dwarf hippopotamus arrived after the Messinian salinity crisis and, due to the absence of predators and limited food supplies, those hippos have been dwarfed over time. Unlike the common hippopotamus of Africa, the Maltese dwarf hippopotamus is a very small animal, growing only to be about 1 meter in shoulder height and it has limbs that are more adapted at a terrestrial locomotion in order to traverse more efficiently abrupt terrain, such as rocky outcrops and hills, in search of food. Interestingly, the diet of the Maltese hippo is more generalistic than its Sicilian relative due to the smaller area of Malta and its more limited resources, it often includes abrasive foods. Despite the Maltese dwarf hippopotamuses' smaller size, they are quite territorial just like common hippos due to the limited land area. The conservation status of the Maltese dwarf hippopotamus is Vulnerable due to some habitat loss and, historically, overhunting, however, thanks to the conservationists, the Maltese dwarf hippopotamuses are a protected species and are recovering from human activities.
Category:Animals
Category:Species
Category:SciiFii