Head to head
Hippopotamus vs White Rhinoceros
After the elephant, the hippopotamus and the white rhinoceros are the heaviest land animals in Africa. They are often mentioned together, but they live completely different lives — one in the water, one on the open plain.
| Hippopotamus | White Rhinoceros | |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1,300–1,800 kg (to 3,000) | 1,800–2,500 kg (to 3,600) |
| Where it lives | Rivers and lakes — in the water by day | Open savanna and grassland |
| Diet | Grass, grazed on land at night | Grass, grazed by day |
| Weapon | Canine teeth up to 50 cm; bite ~1,800 psi | Two keratin horns; front horn averages 60 cm |
| Temperament | Highly aggressive and territorial in water | Usually calm; charges when startled |
| Human deaths a year | ~500 | Rare |
| Charge speed | ~30 km/h on land | ~50 km/h |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable | Near Threatened |
Hippo vs Rhino: common questions
Which is more dangerous, a hippo or a rhino?
The hippo. It is intensely territorial in water, attacks boats and people without much provocation, and is blamed for around 500 human deaths a year — more than lions or crocodiles. White rhinos are generally placid and attacks are rare, though a charging two-tonne rhino is extremely dangerous.
Which is bigger, a hippo or a rhino?
They are close, but the white rhinoceros is usually the heavier and taller of the two. Both are outweighed only by the elephant among land animals.
Who would win in a fight, a hippo or a rhino?
Fights between the two are essentially unrecorded because their paths rarely cross — the hippo stays near deep water and the rhino on dry grassland. In a hypothetical clash on land the rhino’s speed, horn, and armour-like hide would likely give it the edge; in the water the hippo would dominate.