1. Sexual maturity: Hippos can give birth to offspring only after they are sexually mature.Generally speaking, female hippos become sexually mature when they are about 3 years old, while male hippos generally become sexually mature when they are about 5 years old.
2. Mating: After reaching the age of sexual maturity, the hippopotamus will give birth to offspring in a suitable breeding season, usually a relatively dry season.When hippos mate, they do it in the water, with the male on top of the female.Although male hippos are very heavy, they do not cause much damage to females because they have a certain buoyancy to bear part of the weight in the water.
3. Pregnancy and childbirth: After mating, the pregnancy period of female hippos is about 8 months.And then the females give birth.When they are about to give birth, the hippo will leave the group and find a separate place to give birth to the baby hippo.Generally speaking, only one baby hippo can be born.
4. Nurture the baby hippo: After giving birth, the female hippo will return to the group with the baby hippo.The other females in the group help out when it's time to raise its young.
As mentioned above, the breeding season of the hippopotamus is generally a relatively dry season.Mating in the dry season, so that when the female gives birth after pregnancy, it is basically the rainy season, so that the baby hippo will be more abundant in water and grass after birth, without having to migrate to other places, which makes it easier for the baby hippo to survive.Many hippos live in Africa, and the dry season is usually from April to September.
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