Rhino vs Hippo for Kids
Rhinos and hippos are enormous plant-eating mammals with thick-looking skin and babies called calves, but their lives are very different. Rhinos are horned land mammals that graze or browse across African and Asian habitats. Hippos are African river mammals that spend hot days in water and come onto land mainly to graze.
Rhino
- Type: Mammal
- Group: Odd-Toed Ungulate
- Known for: One or two horns, thick skin, powerful charging, and strong smell
- Diet: Herbivore
- Special skill: Charging quickly, following scents, and using specialized lips for grazing or browsing
Hippo
- Type: Mammal
- Group: Even-Toed Ungulate
- Known for: Huge mouth, barrel-shaped body, river life, and powerful jaws
- Diet: Herbivore
- Special skill: Closing its nostrils and ears, holding its breath, and bounding along the riverbed
Quick Answer
Quick answer: Rhinos have one or two keratin horns, three-toed feet, pointed or broad feeding lips, and usually live mostly on land. Hippos have enormous mouths, large canine teeth, four-toed feet, and spend much of the day in rivers or lakes. Rhinos are usually faster on land, while hippos are far more adapted to water.
Rhino vs Hippo: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Rhino | Hippo |
|---|---|---|
| Animal type | Mammal | Mammal |
| Animal group | Odd-toed ungulate | Even-toed ungulate |
| Known for | Horns, thick skin, charging, and strong smell | Huge mouth, river life, jaws, and underwater movement |
| Main habitat | Grasslands, savannas, forests, wetlands, and desert edges | Rivers, lakes, wetlands, floodplains, and nearby grasslands |
| Where found | Africa and Asia | Africa |
| Diet | Herbivore | Mainly herbivore |
| Baby name | Calf | Calf |
| Feet | Three toes on each foot | Four webbed toes on each foot |
| Main defense | Horn, body strength, and charging | Huge jaws, canine teeth, and body strength |
| Special skill | Fast land charging and scent tracking | Holding its breath and moving along riverbeds |
How Are Rhinos and Hippos Alike?
- Both rhinos and hippos are large herbivorous mammals.
- Both have thick skin, powerful bodies, short sturdy legs, and excellent senses.
- Both give birth to live young called calves.
- Both spend time in mud or water to cool down and protect their skin.
- Both can run surprisingly fast and should always be watched from a safe distance.
How Are Rhinos and Hippos Different?
- Rhinos are odd-toed ungulates with three toes, while hippos are even-toed ungulates with four toes.
- Rhinos have one or two keratin horns, while hippos have no horns but possess enormous canine teeth.
- Rhinos spend most of their lives on land, while hippos spend much of the day in rivers and lakes.
- Rhinos usually live alone or in small groups, while hippos often rest together in larger groups.
- Rhinos use specialized lips to graze or browse, while hippos mainly leave the water at night to graze on short grasses.
Rhino vs Hippo Showdown
Large-mammal showdown: Size and strength are ties because the largest rhinos and hippos are both multi-ton powerhouses. The rhino wins land speed with its rapid charge. The hippo takes stealth, social life, and water movement, plus our weirdest-fact prize because it produces a reddish oily skin secretion that acts like natural sunscreen and is not blood or sweat.
Fun Rhino vs Hippo Facts
Odd-Toed Giant vs Even-Toed Giant
Rhinos belong to the odd-toed ungulate order and walk on three toes per foot. Hippos belong to the even-toed ungulate order and have four toes, making them more closely related to whales than to rhinos.
Keratin Horn vs Enormous Mouth
A rhino horn is made mainly from keratin, the same basic material found in hair and nails. Hippos have no horns, but their mouths can open extremely wide and contain long canine teeth used in displays and fights.
Land Charger vs River Specialist
Rhinos spend most of their lives on land and can charge quickly when alarmed. Hippos rest in rivers and lakes during the heat of the day, closing their nostrils and ears before sinking below the surface.
Mostly Solitary vs Group Living
Many adult rhinos are solitary, although mothers stay with calves and white rhinos may form small groups. Hippos often rest together in groups called bloats, pods, or herds, with dominant males defending stretches of water.
Hippo Sunscreen Is Not Blood
Hippo skin releases an oily reddish-orange fluid containing pigments that help absorb ultraviolet light and slow the growth of some bacteria. It is sometimes nicknamed blood sweat, but it is neither blood nor sweat.
Rhino vs Hippo Quiz
- Which animal has one or two horns? Answer: Rhino.
- Which animal spends much of the day in rivers or lakes? Answer: Hippo.
- How many toes does a rhino have on each foot? Answer: Three.
- What are baby rhinos and hippos called? Answer: Calves.
- Which animal is generally faster on land? Answer: Rhino.
Rhino vs Hippo FAQ
What is the main difference between a rhino and a hippo?
A rhino is a mostly land-living, horned, three-toed mammal. A hippo is a four-toed African river mammal with an enormous mouth and large canine teeth.
Which is bigger, a rhino or a hippo?
They overlap greatly in size. Common hippos and white rhinos can both weigh several tons, so the answer depends on species, sex, age, and individual.
Which animal runs faster?
Rhinos generally reach higher top speeds on land. Hippos can still run surprisingly quickly over short distances.
Can hippos swim?
Hippos are superbly adapted to water, but they usually move by walking, running, or bounding along the bottom rather than swimming with regular strokes. They can hold their breath and surface automatically.
Do rhinos and hippos live together?
Some African rhinos and hippos occupy the same wider regions, but rhinos spend most of their time on land while hippos stay close to permanent water.
Animal Words to Know
- Ungulate: A hoofed mammal such as a rhino, hippo, horse, or deer.
- Keratin: A tough protein found in hair, nails, claws, hooves, and rhino horns.
- Canine tooth: A long pointed tooth used for gripping, display, or defense.
- Bloat: One traditional name for a group of hippos.
- Grazer: An herbivore that feeds mainly on grasses.
Rhino and Hippo Giant-Mammal Activity
Rhino and Hippo Giant-Mammal Activity
Draw a rhino on dry grassland with one or two horns, three-toed feet, and a calf. Draw a hippo beside a river with a huge open mouth, four-toed feet, and nostrils above the water. Label horn, keratin, canine teeth, grazer, calf, crash, bloat, land speed, and river habitat.
Meet Each Animal
Want the full fact file? Here are quick highlights from each animal’s own facts page.
Rhino Fact Highlight
From the full animal facts pageHippo Fact Highlight
From the full animal facts pageMore Animal Comparisons
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