Hippopotamus (Wild Animals by Papo)

Now having two pygmy hippopotamus reviews under my belt I figured it was time to check the other hippopotamus species off my review list, the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius). This species has been reviewed a few times and is so widely familiar that it needs no introduction from me, so let’s dive on in. For my collection I chose the Papo hippopotamus, which has been in production since 2007.

The Papo hippo measures about 5.5” (13.97 cm) long and stands 2.75” (6.9 cm) tall at the shoulder. After elephants and the white rhinoceros the hippopotamus is the world’s largest extant land animal, and it does overlap with the white rhino in size. Hippos have an average head-body length of 10.8–11.3 ft’ (3.3–3.45) and an average shoulder height of 55” (1.4 meters). Males grow larger than females and unlike females never stop growing. In weight, males average 3,260 lbs. (1,480 kg) but they have been recorded reaching a weight of 5,860 lbs. (2,660 kg). Scaled down from the average shoulder height we get a scale of 1/20.

This figure is presented as most hippo figures are, with mouth agape and head lifted upwards. The head is turning leftward and the right hindfoot is pushing off the ground. The body is appropriately barrel shaped with short, four-toed limbs, and a short tail.  The head is long and hourglass shaped with the nostrils, ears, and eyes positioned high atop the head. The sex of this hippo is unknown, since male hippos do not have a scrotum and the penis is retracted into the body when not in use.

Within the open mouth you get a lot of fleshy gum detail and a sculpted tongue. Prominent canines and incisors are sculpted within the mouth, with the canines on the lower jaw being the largest. The lower canines can reach a length of 20” (50 cm) in life. The lower canines and incisors grow continuously, and the lower canines are kept sharp by rubbing against the upper canines. These teeth are used for combat while the lips are used for grazing. On the toy these teeth are all blunted for safety, of course. Unlike the CollectA model, there are no molars sculpted in the back of the jaw.

The muzzle is detailed with small pits, which anchor short stiff whiskers in life. A lot of wrinkles and skin folds are sculpted around the open maw and rolls of thick skin cascade down the neck. Fatty rolls hang over the shoulders and knees with the rest of the legs are detailed with creases and folds. Warty lumps can be seen on the backside. The rest of the body is textured like leather, making it appear tough and thick. The figure is painted dark gray with some brown mottling on the underside. The inside of the mouth is pale pink, and the teeth are ivory colored with a glossy finish. The tiny eyes are black and brown.

Where hippo toys are concerned there’s a glut of them to choose from, but I think this one, along with CollectA’s, are the best. CollectA’s has a few things going for it, like better detailing on the teeth and inside the mouth, but I like the attention to detail on the jaw musculature and fat rolls on Papo’s, and its dynamic pose. Either way, you can’t go wrong. Folks that collect multiple examples of a species and hippo collectors should seek out both. For me, I am more than satisfied with this one.