Earth.com: Dwarf hippos in Madagascar preferred forests
UC research highlights importance of forests on African island
Science writers highlighted the University of Cincinnati's insights into an extinct hippo that once roamed the island of Madagascar in Africa.
UC College of Arts and Sciences Professor Brooke Crowley led a team of researchers who used isotopic analysis to discover that extinct dwarf hippos were feeding on sedges and leaves in forests rather than on grass on open savanna like their mainland cousins today.
The findings suggest grasslands in Madagascar are a relatively recent change facilitated by people rather than a natural habitat sustained in part by hippos. The study was published in the journal Plants, People, Planet.
Earth.com noted that Malagasy hippos are far smaller than common hippos found on the mainland. They likely resembled pygmy hippos that likewise live in forests in West Africa.
Common hippos travel overland each night to graze on grass. Studies have found their foraging helps support grasslands, preventing the succession of other types of plants.
UC's study suggests that Malagasy hippos had little influence over grasslands found on the island today.
Featured image at top: A newborn baby pygmy hippo named Petunia was born in December at the Metro Richmond Zoo. Like extinct dwarf hippos, pygmy hippos live in forests. Photo/Metro Richmond Zoo
An isotopic analysis of bones found that dwarf hippos in Madagascar lived in forests rather than grasslands. Photo/Karen Samonds
Related Stories
6 ways starting a GLP-1 medication could affect your emotions
May 20, 2026
When patients first start taking a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medication, they probably expect to feel full. But they might not anticipate how it can influence their emotions. The medications act on the stomach and the brain, said Malti Vij, MD, a University of Cincinnati adjunct associate professor in the College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Inaugural AI Symposium in Finance & Accounting explores the investment landscape
May 19, 2026
The Johnson Investment Institute hosted the first-ever AI Symposium in Finance & Accounting on May 8 at Lindner Hall, welcoming industry leaders from national firms, academics from leading universities, and emerging finance and accounting talent.
From humanoids to drones, UC 1819 Innovation Hub debuts AI + Robotics Summit
May 18, 2026
eGateway Capital and the University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub and Digital Futures co-hosted the region’s inaugural summit: The Future of Commerce: AI + Robotics Summit, focused on artificial intelligence and robotics.