What do scientists think the common ancestor of whales and hippos? I think the answer is the animals lived millions of years ago

1 answer

Yes, you are correct that scientists believe that whales and hippos share a common ancestor that lived millions of years ago. According to the current understanding of evolutionary history, this ancestor was likely a semi-aquatic mammal that lived around 50-60 million years ago. This creature is known as a "whippomorph" and was probably similar in size and shape to a small deer. Over time, some whippomorphs evolved adaptations for an aquatic lifestyle, eventually giving rise to the various species of whales we know today, while others evolved adaptations for life on land, which eventually gave rise to hippos.