Wakabi & Nakia

Fun facts

• They spend up to 16 hours a day in the water. It regulates their body temperature and protects their sensitive skin from the sun.
• They can run up to 30 km/h on land. They are surprisingly agile despite their size and apparent sluggishness.
• Their eyes, ears and nostrils sit high on the skull. It lets them see, hear and breathe while keeping the rest of the body submerged.
• They are herbivores. They eat 40 to 50 kg of grass per night.
• They make their own sunscreen. They secrete a reddish natural fluid that also works as an antibiotic against bacteria.

They live in rivers, lakes and wetlands across sub-Saharan Africa. They are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN.