Pygmy hippopotamus Pygmy hippopotamus The pygmy hippopotamus ("Choeropsis liberiensis" or "Hexaprotodon liberiensis") is a small hippopotamid which is native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily in Liberia, with small populations in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast. The pygmy hippo is reclusive and nocturnal. It is one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae, the other being its much larger relative, the common hippopotamus ("Hippopotamus amphibius") or Nile hippopotamus. The pygmy hippopotamus displays many terrestrial adaptations, but like the hippo, it is semiaquatic and relies on water to keep its skin moist and its body temperature cool.
Mammal scheme used, are the [[Primate]]s including the [[ape]]s, [[monkey]]s and [[lemur]]s; the [[Cetartiodactyla]] including [[whale]]s and [[even-toed ungulates]]; and the [[Carnivora]] which includes [[cat]]s, [[dog]]s, [[weasel]]s, [[bear]]s, [[Pinniped|seals]] and allies. According to "[[Mammal Species of the World]]", 5,416 species were identified in 2006. These were grouped into 1,229 [[genus|genera]], 153 [[family (biology)|families]] and 29 orders. In 2008, the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]] (IUCN) completed a five-year Global Mammal Assessment for its [[IUCN Red List]], which counted 5,488 species. According to a research published in the "[[Journal of Mammalogy]]" in 2018, the number of recognized mammal species is 6,495