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.
Pygmy hog small reptiles. The species was first described as the only member of the genus "Porcula", by Brian Houghton Hodgson but was later moved with other pig species in the genus "Sus" and named "Sus salvanius". A 2007 genetic analysis of the variation in a large section of mitochondrial DNA suggested that the original classification of the pygmy hog as a distinct genus was justified. The resurrection of the original genus status and the species name "Porcula salvania" has been adopted by GenBank. The species name "salvania" is after the sal forests where it was found. The pygmy hog is the