Hippos in Europe: A Surprising Survival During the Ice Age!

Hippos in Europe: A Surprising Survival During the Ice Age!

In the last few days, exciting new research results have been a topic of conversation among paleontologists. An analysis of fossils has shown that hippopotamuses are not only at home in Africa, but also lived in Europe - at a time when the last ice ages shaped the country. According to Science Press, there were once two species of hippopotamus: the extinct oneHippopotamus antiquusand today'sHippopotamus amphibius, which we know primarily from Africa.

Hippopotamus antiquus, which lived in Europe from about 2 million years ago until its extinction around 400,000 years ago, was significantly larger than its modern-day relatives. This species was first described in 1822 and was an imposing presence in European ecosystems during its heyday, as can be seen from Wikipedia. Their remains have been discovered across various regions of Europe, from the Iberian Peninsula to Hungary, and currently a majority of the finds are on display at the Natural History Museum of the University of Florence.

Exciting fossil finds

A remarkable study published on October 8, 2025 in the journal *Current Biology* analyzed 19 fossils from southwest Germany. These finds suggest that hippopotamuses lived in the region around 30,000 to 47,000 years ago, coinciding with the first Homo sapiens to expand into Europe. What is particularly exciting is the discovery that these fossils came from a relatively small population that apparently survived in milder climates while the continental climate was predominantly cold.

The DNA analyzes have also shown that these fossil remains are the same species as the African hippopotamuses living today. A clear sign that the species was more resilient and adaptable than previously thought. It also suggests that the climate varied in different regions of Europe and there were warmer microclimates that allowed these imposing animals to survive.

An interplay of species

In recent times, the emergence of biodiversity in Europe has often been linked to questions about climatic conditions.Hippopotamus antiquuslived in Western Europe during the Early and Middle Pleistocene and benefited from the warmer interglacial periods. Not only do the remains show that the animals varied in size, their lifestyles and interactions with other large animals such as mammoths and rhinoceros are also of historical importance. Estimates of body weight vary between 1,600 and 4,700 kilograms - a real heavyweight for his time.

The intriguing question remains what the relationships were between these fossil hippopotamuses and early humans. Evidence that they were hunted or exploited by hunters gives rise to speculation, but it remains unclear whether this was a regular practice. This is how the story of...Hippopotamus antiquustells us a lot not only about the animal world, but also about human development in Europe.

Overall, the results summarized in Science Press show that there is much more to tell about Europe's past than current fauna and flora would have us believe. Perhaps the image of the impressive hippopotamus that once roamed Europe's rivers and swamps will become a little clearer in the near future.