You’ve probably seen photos and articles that claim that hippo milk is pink over the past several years, but how true is this?
Just like all the other mammals, female hippos produce white milk to feed their offspring. The confusion comes from some other processes that happen on the hippo’s body at the same time that turns their milk pink.
Hippos produce something called “blood sweat” that’s neither blood nor sweat but plays a role in the color of their milk. It’s a combination of hipposudoric acid norhipposudoric acid that plays a big role in keeping the hippo healthy. This red fluid is a natural sunscreen and moisturizer that protects the animal’s sensitive skin. When this “blood sweat” gets mixed with white milk, hippo’s milk turns pink and that’s the whole secret behind it!
