Animal
Hippopotamus
Africa's river giant.
160 cm (5'3")
- Measured
- Up to 5.2 ft (1.6 m) tall at shoulder; 10.8 to 16.5 ft (3.3 to 5 m) long.
- Source
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Animals & Plants: Hippo · checked 20 September 2026
Compare Hippopotamus
Beside the average adult and its neighbours, on one scale. Add anything else from the catalog.
Size comparison: Hippopotamus
15 cm difference (5.9 in). Average US adult man is taller than Hippopotamus.
About Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus: Africa's river giant.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Animals & Plants: Hippo gives 160 cm (5'3") (Up to 5.2 ft (1.6 m) tall at shoulder; 10.8 to 16.5 ft (3.3 to 5 m) long).
Next to the average US adult man (175 cm (5'9"), CDC), hippopotamus is 1.09 times shorter: a difference of 15 cm (0'6").
On this page you can put hippopotamus beside african elephant, bengal tiger, blue whale or anything else in the catalog, all on one scale.
Comparisons
- Human vs Hippopotamus — 175 cm (5'9") vs 160 cm (5'3")
Related animals
- African elephant height320 cm (10'6")
- Bengal tiger height320 cm (10'6") long
- Blue whale height33.53 m (110'0") long
- Dromedary camel height180 cm (5'11")
- Giraffe height550 cm (18'1")
- Gorilla height175 cm (5'9")
Browse all animals, or open the Size Comparison board with Hippopotamus already on it.
Frequently asked questions
How tall is a hippopotamus?
160 cm (5'3") (Up to 5.2 ft (1.6 m) tall at shoulder; 10.8 to 16.5 ft (3.3 to 5 m) long), according to San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Animals & Plants: Hippo.
Is a hippopotamus taller than a person?
No. The average US adult man is 175 cm (5'9") (CDC), so a hippopotamus at 160 cm (5'3") is 15 cm shorter.
Source
Measurement read from San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, Animals & Plants: Hippo on 20 September 2026. Up to 5.2 ft (1.6 m) tall at shoulder; 10.8 to 16.5 ft (3.3 to 5 m) long. HeightViz draws the figure the source gives and does not measure anything itself; if the source changes, this page is updated from it.
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