How big is a hippopotamus?

Hippopotamus · Common (river) hippopotamus · Hippopotamus amphibius

Length: 3.3–5 m 11–16 ft range
Height at shoulder: up to 1.6 m 5 ft 3 in maximum
Mass (adult male): 1,600–4,500 kg 1.8–5 US tons range
Mass (adult female): ≈ 1,400 kg 1.5 US tons approx.

Everything is drawn to the same scale, standing on the same ground line. Silhouettes are simplified outlines scaled to the measured dimension. A faded outline shows the top of a size range.

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Dimensions

Measurements of Hippopotamus
Measurement	Metric	Imperial	Notes	Source
Length	3.3–5 m	11–16 ft	Adult length as listed by San Diego Zoo (10.8 to 16.5 ft); the source does not say whether the tail is included. Range: varies	[1]
Height at shoulder	up to 1.6 m	up to 5 ft 3 in	Up to 5.2 ft (1.6 m) at the shoulder. Maximum	[1]
Mass (adult male)	1,600–4,500 kg	1.8–5 US tons	Males, 3,500 to 9,920 lb. Range: varies	[1]
Mass (adult female)	≈ 1,400 kg	≈ 1.5 US tons	Females, 3,000 lb average. Approximate	[1]
Birth weight	25–45 kg	55–99 lb	Newborn calf, 50 to 110 lb. Range: varies	[1]

About the hippopotamus

The common hippopotamus is a huge, barrel-bodied African mammal that spends most of the day wallowing in shallow water and comes ashore at night to graze. San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance gives adults a length of 3.3 to 5 m and a shoulder height of up to 1.6 m. Males are much heavier than females, weighing from about 1,600 kg to as much as 4,500 kg.

A hippo's eyes, ears and nostrils sit on top of its head, so it can see, hear and breathe while almost fully submerged. [1]
Hippos can hold their breath for five minutes or longer and can even sleep underwater, surfacing to breathe by reflex without waking. [1]
Despite their bulk, hippos eat only about 40 kg (88 lb) of food a night, around 1 to 1.5 percent of their body weight. [1]
Some hippo calls have been measured at 115 decibels. [1]

How many fit?

≈ 1.9–3.1 × Human · height lined up end to end match the Hippopotamus · length
≈ 18–58 × Human · body mass on the scales weigh as much as Hippopotamus · mass (adult male)
≈ 5.3–9.2 × Dog (Labrador Retriever) · height at withers lined up end to end match the Hippopotamus · length
≈ 44–180 × Dog (Labrador Retriever) · weight on the scales weigh as much as Hippopotamus · mass (adult male)

Counts divide one sourced figure by another. "End to end" uses each object's main measurement; weight and volume rows appear only when both figures are sourced.

How it compares

5.3–9.2× A hippopotamus is about 5.3–9.2 times as long as a Labrador Retriever is tall at the shoulder. See side by side
1.9–3.1× A hippopotamus is about 1.9–3.1 times as long as an average adult is tall. See side by side
1.8–2.7× A hippopotamus is about 1.8–2.7 times as long as a gorilla is tall. See side by side
2.2–3.4× A hippopotamus is about 2.2–3.4 times as long as a Holstein cow is tall at the shoulder. See side by side
0.7–1.5× A hippopotamus is roughly as long as a great white shark: between 0.7 and 1.5 times as long, depending on size. See side by side
1/2.2–3.3 A school bus is about 2.2–3.3 times as long as a hippopotamus. See side by side

Factors compare the length of a hippopotamus with each object’s own main measurement (height for a human). Where a size varies, the factor is given as a range.

Notes on these figures

No Smithsonian National Zoo page for the common hippopotamus was found, so all figures come from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance (single source).
The source gives a single 'Length' without saying whether the tail is included.

Sources

San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Hippopotamus. Accessed 25 September 2026.

Hippopotamus drawn to scale