Step 1 : Introduction to the question "What is the gestation period of a common hippopotamus?"
...There are two hippopotamus species roaming the Earth today. The common hippopotamus usually bears young once every two years. As the time grows near for her to deliver, the mother hippo freuquently separates herself from her herd for a couple of weeks. After a gestation period lasting eight months, momma hippo usually gives birth in shallow underwater environments, although it isn't uncommon for the hippo to give birth on land. Source: Animals.Mom.me