Which one is the second largest land mammal? The Rhino or the Hippo? This may seem like a stupid question, but this has actually been debated by many people.
Here’s a good website about it:
http://members.aol.com/hippopage/hrquest.htm
And also, who would win in a battle between the two? (Just to spice things up. :))
And BTW, I say Rhino is the 2nd largest land mammal. My opinion, of course.
-Clueless
bump I want your opinions, everyone! 
-Clueless
Their weight ranges clearly overlap enough that you’re never going to settle the question, but I vote for the Rhino on the grounds that:
The rhino is generally bigger in physical dimensions. The hippo is just fat.
The Hippo hangs out in the water a lot. It’s cheating.
And as for a fight between the two, I don’t know, but I don’t want to referee it.
A bump after fifteen lousy minutes???
Very poor form, Clueless. Do not do that again.
I like to win, so I’ll vote for the hippos. There aren’t going to be any more black rhinos RSN.
Oh sorry, manhattan. I didn’t know the SDMB had a rule like that. I’m not too informed about the new rules, as I visit maybe once or twice in two weeks. Again, sorry.
-Clueless, as ever…
The hippo averages heavier, so it’s the bigger.
I really don’t give a shit who would win a fight. They don’t prey on each other, or compete for food or territory, so it’s a non-issue.
Peace,
mangeorge (Shades of bull vs bear. Argh)
But it’s the white rhino that’s in the running for largest land animal.
I want to say the rhino is bigger but the hippo would win in a fight. They are the most active man killer in the animal kingdom. Hippo’s have 4 huge teeth while the rhino has one horn
The answer of couse is neither. Unless I’m very mis-informed the African elephant is largest, the Indian elephant is the second largest. The hippo and rhino are duking it out for bronze here.
What about the giraffe? It towers over hippo and rhino. Sure, its skinny, but look at that beautiful beast.
Hippo would win in a skirmish though. They are BADASS animals.
We’re not being that specific. The Indian Elephant is a subspecies, we’re looking for the 2nd largest land mammal species.
-Clueless
Looks like the hippo would average out to be the largest, if you count sub-species.
Here are the links, check and see what you think.
http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/4/0,5716,41424+1+40547,00.html?query=hippopotamus
http://www.britannica.com/bcom/eb/article/9/0,5716,65049+1+63434,00.html?query=rhino
They each have a smaller cousin or two, but the pygmy hippos are rare.
If you count only the largest of each, it looks like a toss-up. With a slight edge to the hippo.
I couldn’t find anything about raging hippo vs rhino battles, try as I might. 
Peace,
mangeorge
Try the link I posted, mangeorge. There’s a bunch of sources that says the Rhinoceros is the 2nd largest mammal. Also, I don’t think the average size thing works. Look at it this way, if you used that logic, then the Elephant would be smaller than either Hippo or the Rhino. The Elephant’s nearest relative is the Hyrax which is about the size of a house cat. 
-Clueless
Disregard my last post.
Just for the record the Indian elephant is actually a different Genus, making it about as related to the African elephant as a human is to an orangutan.
I never knew that. I’ll have to go look up on that one.
-Clueless
Not a chance, Clueless. 
By the way, the Indian elephant isn’t just a subspecies, either: it’s not even the same genus. African elephant is Loxodontus africanus, and Indian is Elephantus asiatus (I think. It’s been a long time since that fourth-grade class presentation on elephants). They’re both family Proboscidiae, though.
By the way, King Tusk, RBB&B’s “Largest Living Animal on the Face of the Earth” a few years back, was actually a freakishly huge Indian, not an African. Jumbo, from way back in the day, was African. I’m not sure which was larger.