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Description
Hippopotamus gorgops

Hippos today are icons of the rivers of Africa. Two living species of hippos, the common hippopotamus and the pygmy hippo inhabit the river systems of Africa. With the former species being among the most dangerous animals in Africa. However, at the dawn of the mid-Pliocene around 3,500,000 years ago a Hippo much larger appeared on the scene. It was known as Hippopotamus gorgops.

History and Naming:

In 1928, German paleontologist Wilhelm Otto Dietrich described this creature from a relatively complete and intact fossil skull found in the Olduvai Gorge. Modern dating indicates the holotype was dated to around 1,000,000-700,000 years ago. Immediately, he knew it was a hippopotamus, however, there were marked differences between this creature and the modern hippo. For one the orbits were elevated. The bony nostril openings were placed more anteriorly (closer to the front) than modern hippos. Moreover, snout was elongated and slightly upcurved, and of course, it was much larger than a modern hippo’s skull.
Dietrich named it Hippopotamus gorgops. The genus obviously means “river horse” derived from the Greek language, whereas the species name means Gorgon. Perhaps in reference to both the elevated orbits and its monstrous size, so the name translates to: The Gorgon’s River Horse.

Description:

In terms of size, Hippopotamus gorgops was on average 3 times the size of an average common hippo. Weighing it at around 4.9 tons. Its limbs were slightly longer than the common hippo. H.gorgops was around the same length (if not slightly shorter) as the modern hippo (13-14.5ft long), but it had a more compressed and stouter body than its modern cousin. As previously mentioned, its orbits were taller than the common hippo, and it had a more upturned skull than the modern hippo.

Habitat:

Fossils have been found across Africa and parts of southern Europe and as far east as Israel. It’s generally accepted that these giant hippos migrated from Africa and into Europe and parts of the Middle East during the mid-Pleistocene around 1,700,000 years ago. Like modern hippos, H.gorgops likely inhabited a habitat similar to modern hippos. Tropical to semi-tropical river systems. As for its diet, it was also similar to modern hippos, grazing off grass and water plants as well.

Taxonomy:

Studies into their taxonomy indicate that during the end of the Pliocene ~2,000,000 years ago and up to around 600,000 years ago the two species were contemporaries existing in both Africa and southern Europe. However, cladistics indicates that H.gorgops was a more derived species of hippo compared to the modern-day hippo.

Behavior:

When one looks at the various features that H.gorgops possess, it kind of makes sense. While modern hippos have elevated orbits, H.gorgops had far higher orbits which would have been beneficial to this species to look around its environment. It could also be assumed that the more anteriorly positioned nasals enabled the animal to more efficiently breathe underwater. Suggesting that H.gorgops was better adapted to an aquatic lifestyle than modern hippos.

Extinction:

The extinction of this giant river-horse has been narrowed down to the mid-Pleistocene around 600,000 years ago. The cause of extinction is largely believed to have been due to climate change. They went extinct prior to the last great ice age and their habitat shrunk. That and they were likely outcompeted by the more basal common hippo which usurped them as they were better able to tolerate the changing climate. Plus, being smaller they needed less food to survive.
Though extinct, this magnificent giant is a symbol of European and African Megafauna and the most powerful hippos that ever walked the planet.
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This is an animal that I was actually first introduced to when I went to the London Museum of Natural History. IIRC, it was in a case by Dugongs and a Steller's Sea Cow skeleton. However,

Most info from this profile was taken from this 2017 paper:
2017 Van der Made ea - Hippopotamus - El Kherba - ProcIIMeetingAfrPrehist.pdf (csic.es)

If it wasn't for this paper, probably wouldn't have found out that the holotype was from Olduvai. Also, I didn't realize this animal was more derived than modern hippos, so that's an interesting fact that I had to include.

Original model was by Aurora Designs, and modified by me. I slightly increased the length of the legs, lengthened and augmented the skull, changed the skin tone to make it brown (pure speculation of course), and of course, I added the characteristic eyestalks.

Will it be in Past Meets Present? No, but I am planning an African voyage in S2, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Original model and Skin by Aurora Designs, modified by me:
Hippopotamus (Aurora Designs) | ZT2 Download Library Wiki | Fandom

Description
Hippopotamus gorgops

Hippos today are icons of the rivers of Africa. Two living species of hippos, the common hippopotamus and the pygmy hippo inhabit the river systems of Africa. With the former species being among the most dangerous animals in Africa. However, at the dawn of the mid-Pliocene around 3,500,000 years ago a Hippo much larger appeared on the scene. It was known as Hippopotamus gorgops.

History and Naming:

In 1928, German paleontologist Wilhelm Otto Dietrich described this creature from a relatively complete and intact fossil skull found in the Olduvai Gorge. Modern dating indicates the holotype was dated to around 1,000,000-700,000 years ago. Immediately, he knew it was a hippopotamus, however, there were marked differences between this creature and the modern hippo. For one the orbits were elevated. The bony nostril openings were placed more anteriorly (closer to the front) than modern hippos. Moreover, snout was elongated and slightly upcurved, and of course, it was much larger than a modern hippo’s skull.
Dietrich named it Hippopotamus gorgops. The genus obviously means “river horse” derived from the Greek language, whereas the species name means Gorgon. Perhaps in reference to both the elevated orbits and its monstrous size, so the name translates to: The Gorgon’s River Horse.

Description:

In terms of size, Hippopotamus gorgops was on average 3 times the size of an average common hippo. Weighing it at around 4.9 tons. Its limbs were slightly longer than the common hippo. H.gorgops was around the same length (if not slightly shorter) as the modern hippo (13-14.5ft long), but it had a more compressed and stouter body than its modern cousin. As previously mentioned, its orbits were taller than the common hippo, and it had a more upturned skull than the modern hippo.

Habitat:

Fossils have been found across Africa and parts of southern Europe and as far east as Israel. It’s generally accepted that these giant hippos migrated from Africa and into Europe and parts of the Middle East during the mid-Pleistocene around 1,700,000 years ago. Like modern hippos, H.gorgops likely inhabited a habitat similar to modern hippos. Tropical to semi-tropical river systems. As for its diet, it was also similar to modern hippos, grazing off grass and water plants as well.

Taxonomy:

Studies into their taxonomy indicate that during the end of the Pliocene ~2,000,000 years ago and up to around 600,000 years ago the two species were contemporaries existing in both Africa and southern Europe. However, cladistics indicates that H.gorgops was a more derived species of hippo compared to the modern-day hippo.

Behavior:

When one looks at the various features that H.gorgops possess, it kind of makes sense. While modern hippos have elevated orbits, H.gorgops had far higher orbits which would have been beneficial to this species to look around its environment. It could also be assumed that the more anteriorly positioned nasals enabled the animal to more efficiently breathe underwater. Suggesting that H.gorgops was better adapted to an aquatic lifestyle than modern hippos.

Extinction:

The extinction of this giant river-horse has been narrowed down to the mid-Pleistocene around 600,000 years ago. The cause of extinction is largely believed to have been due to climate change. They went extinct prior to the last great ice age and their habitat shrunk. That and they were likely outcompeted by the more basal common hippo which usurped them as they were better able to tolerate the changing climate. Plus, being smaller they needed less food to survive.
Though extinct, this magnificent giant is a symbol of European and African Megafauna and the most powerful hippos that ever walked the planet.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
This is an animal that I was actually first introduced to when I went to the London Museum of Natural History. IIRC, it was in a case by Dugongs and a Steller's Sea Cow skeleton. However,

Most info from this profile was taken from this 2017 paper:
2017 Van der Made ea - Hippopotamus - El Kherba - ProcIIMeetingAfrPrehist.pdf (csic.es)

If it wasn't for this paper, probably wouldn't have found out that the holotype was from Olduvai. Also, I didn't realize this animal was more derived than modern hippos, so that's an interesting fact that I had to include.

Original model was by Aurora Designs, and modified by me. I slightly increased the length of the legs, lengthened and augmented the skull, changed the skin tone to make it brown (pure speculation of course), and of course, I added the characteristic eyestalks.

Will it be in Past Meets Present? No, but I am planning an African voyage in S2, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Original model and Skin by Aurora Designs, modified by me:
Hippopotamus (Aurora Designs) | ZT2 Download Library Wiki | Fandom