A Fossil Discovery

Paleontologists long suspected that hippos evolved from a family of ancient plant-eating partly aquatic mammals. They couldn't confirm it because the old fossils have been discovered 15 million years ago.

The jaw that they stumbled on led them to investigate if they can find remains of an ancient animal. Their curiosity.  Finding the teeth was helpful because the molar patterns on it, is unique. It gives a connection to ancient animals to modern-day animals that we usually see.

The ancient hippo weighed 220 pounds though the modern-day hippos weigh 4,000 pounds. Scientists believe or have a theory that the ancient hippos are related to whales because they spent most of their time in the water. Lihoreau says that hippos are the real African mammal because the animals you see on safaris (lions, zebras, antelopes etc.) were brought to Africa from Asia. Hippos were naturally living in Africa before lions and zebras were brought there.