did you know - Pygmy Hippos

Living in West Africa is an animal people outside of there didn’t even know existed until 1911 – the Pygmy Hippo. It makes me think of Jeremiah 27:5 - It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the animals that are on the earth.

God absolutely knew what He was doing when He designed Pygmy Hippos as one of the animals which evolved on the Earth. Let’s learn what makes them so unique.

• · Pygmy Hippos are mostly found in Liberia, but some are in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast.
• · While they resemble their larger cousins, the Common Hippo, they are much smaller – just three feet tall, six feet long, and weigh 300 to 600 pounds – Common Hippos weigh ten times more!
• · Pygmy Hippos are nocturnal – they swim or nap in the brush along rivers in the day.
• ·  The skin on Pygmy Hippos is very thin and will dry out or burn in the sun, but they make a special substance which is secreted through their skin. This substance protects the Pygmy Hippo’s skin with its antiseptic and sun screening properties!
•      These Hippos are able to walk on the bottom of rivers – they close their ears and nose to keep the water out.

What do you think is the most surprising thing about Pygmy Hippos? We are able to believe Someone chose to design Pygmy Hippos on purpose so they are “just right”. We know the “Someone” is God; we know He did the same for you! 

Activity to Make the Point & Have Fun

These are the last activities in the book, and they will remind you of the things you have learned about Pygmy Hippos - you will need –

• · Sunscreen
• ·  Dark construction paper (black works very well)
• ·  Cotton swabs
• · A sunny day

Directions – 1. Take sunscreen, put on your hands, and make handprints on the paper – or use swabs to draw a design on the paper 2. Place the paper in the sun for three hours or so 3. Get your paper and look to see if there are any changes – how does the paper look where there was not any sunscreen?

Talk about what you see and remember how Pygmy Hippos secrete a special substance, similar to sunscreen, which protects their skin from the sun. God designed and created them “just right” – let this project remind you of this truth and how He designed and created you “just right”, too!

Pygmy Hippos enjoy eating fruit. Let’s make a fun, simple, and delicious dessert to help us remember how God designed Pygmy Hippos “just right” – and you, too!

• · One small can of frozen raspberry juice concentrate
• · One tub of Extra Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream
• · Two pints of heavy cream
• · Two cookie pie crusts (my favorite is shortbread cookie crust!)
• · Fresh raspberries

Directions – 1. Mix unthawed juice with softened vanilla ice cream 2. Mix heavy cream with ¼ cup sugar until fluffy 3. Gently fold ice cream/juice with whipped cream 4. Fill pie crusts and freeze 5. Before serving allow to soften slightly and top with fresh berries if you like 6. Enjoy!

God designed and created Pygmy Hippos to be “just right” and even though we do not know a lot about the ones which live in the wild, as we learn about them, we are able to see how they help us have a confident faith in God. We are able to know for sure God is real and He designed everything “just right” – including you! 

Think About This . . .

“There are good reasons to believe in God, including the existence of mathematical principles and order in creation. They are positive reasons, based on knowledge, rather than default assumptions based on a temporary lack of knowledge.” - Francis Collins, geneticist, physician, led the Human Genome Project, directed National Institutes of Health

You will learn more about Pygmy Hippos in my book, Scorpionfish, Clouded Leopards, Pygmy Hippos, and More, and are able to buy it at this link for the children you love!