Hippo Mojo Blog » Hippos on the Loose

Nikica Goes On Walkabout

Hippo Honcho — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 02:29:07 +0000

Once upon a time there was a hippo named Nikica who lived in a private zoo in the tiny country of Montenegro, in Southeastern Europe. Every year, during the seasonal floods, Nikica escapes from her cage and goes on walkabout. This year she decided to explore the village of Berislavci, about 15 miles south of the capital city of Podgorica, having heard many fascinating reports of the town.

Nikica is 12 years old and is the only hippo living in Montenegro. Some wonder if she is lonely and is looking for a mate; others have overheard her say that she is a natural introvert and is perfectly content on her own. Nikica swam around the flooded village for nine days, then she returned home to upload her vacation pics to the web and to consult her guide books and plan next year’s trip.

Nikica Goes On Walkabout

Thanks to Izismile.com for the hippo pics and story.

The Helpful Hippo Mama

Hippo Honcho — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 00:11:49 +0000

Hippo Helps Wildebeest

A hippo mama at the Sanctuary Olonana in the Masai Mara, Kenya, has a new vocation: life guarding. She stunned onlookers last week as they gathered to witness thousands of wildebeest (gnu) cross the Mara River. Thousands of herd animals cross between Kenya and Tanzania’s Serengeti National Park yearly in the search for fresh grazing grounds.

A young wildebeest became separated from her mother as the current dragged her downstream. It appeared that she might drown when the kind hippo mama swam to her and pushed her to shore. ‘To everyone’s amazement the hippo came to the gnu’s rescue and pushed it gently to the river bank,’ said head guide Abdul Karim. The baby took a moment to recover her breath and then ran to her waiting–and undoubtedly concerned–mother.

Hippo Helps Wildebeest

As the spectators discussed this amazing incident, a baby zebra also tried the crossing but quickly got into trouble, her head bobbing in the water. Again, the hippo mama swam to her aid and pushed the baby to shore.

Hippo Helps Baby Zebra

It was an unforgettable incident,’ said Karim. ‘Maternal love can be so strong it can even surpass species boundaries,’ he added.

A Hippo Bites The Dust In The Name Of Research

Hippo Honcho — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 00:05:34 +0000

I read this article recently at News24.com:

Drugged hippo charges at Kruger vet

2010-11-11

Buks Viljoen, Beeld

Mbombela – The head of veterinary services at the Kruger National Park has described how he had a narrow escape when a darted hippopotamus unexpectedly charged at him.

Dr Nico de Bruyn snatches Dr Markus Hofmeyr out of the way of a drugged hippo in a pool in the Kruger National Park. (Peter Buss, Veterinary Services)

“Now it’s tickets for me!” was the first thought that flashed through Dr Markus Hofmeyr’s mind.

The incident occurred on October 13 in a Crocodile River pool near the Crocodile Bridge camp.

Hofmeyr said they were conducting research on a chemical substance for drugging hippos.

“This hippo was the 20th one drugged with that particular substance and we hadn’t had any problems before that.”

Dazed and confused

After the tranquilising dart hit the hippo, the animal entered the shallow water. With its rear end pushed into the bushes up against the bank, the animal stood passively in the water. They were busy working on the hippo when its head suddenly dropped below the water surface.

“We suspect it got water in its nose, which stimulated it back to consciousness. The animal was very dazed and confused when it straightened up again. It snapped in our direction and then came for us.”

The hippo knocked Hofmeyr over, but Dr Nico de Bruyn of the University of Pretoria’s Mammal Research Institute grabbed him by the arm and snatched him out of the animal’s way.

“The hippo passed between us and made for the deeper water.” The animal then swung around and started moving towards them again.

Hofmeyr and De Bruyn scrambled to get out of the river. A game ranger standing guard on the bank then shot and killed the animal.

“It is regrettable that the hippo had to die, but for our safety’s sake he had to be shot.”

Research

Hofmeyr said the drug that is usually used for elephants and rhinos is too powerful to use on hippos.

“The biggest problem with darted hippos is that they usually flee into the water. Many then drown. That is why we started doing research to develop a more suitable substance specifically for hippos.

“The new drug is very effective and is definitely a breakthrough. This was the first time we experienced a problem like this.”

Hofmeyr said the dart seems not to have penetrated the thick hide of the hippo deeply enough.

“A lesson we definitely learned from the incident is to muzzle these animals in future.”

- Beeld

Yes, Victoria, There Is Such A Thing As A Pinkopotamus

Hippo Honcho — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:39:21 +0000

I’d like to officially invite all the pink animals of the world to come live at my house. I am totally in love with this pink dolphin who lives in to Lake Calcasieu, an inland saltwater estuary in Louisiana:

Pink Dolphin

And I totally admire the shocking pink of this katydid, although bugs are not my favorite.

Pink Katydid

But to now have a pink hippo! Well, let’s just say it can’t get better than that.

Rare Pink Hippopotamus

This little darling was spotted by British wildlife photographers Will and Mathew Burrard-Lucas in early September as they cruised around Kenya’s Masai Mara game preserve, hoping to capture images of the world-famous wildebeest migration. (Why?) Presumably, now that they have discovered the wonder that is HIPPO, they will now stop haunting the poor wildebeests and start shooting more hippo pics.

The brothers were breakfasting along the banks of the Mara River when the little pink patooty bumbled out the other side. Of course they grabbed their cameras and started shooting.

Little Pinkopotamus is not an albino, as you may think. Her pink skin is caused by a condition called leucism, a condition characterized by reduced pigmentation. Albino animals have no pigment whatsoever.

The brothers wrote:

“Being an animal that is so strikingly different often results in a hard life; these creatures frequently become outcasts, rejected by their conventionally colored peers. In this case however, we were relieved to note that the other hippos seemed to be treating the pink hippo just like any other.”

Well, of course Little Pinkopotamus is being treated well. Hippos are highly advanced creatures, capable of great love and affection. Maybe when she grows up, we can introduce her to Svetik, a Russian pink hippo that I’ve written about before.

Zay Harding Meets the Hungry Hippos of Garoua, Cameroon

Hippo Honcho — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 21:01:14 +0000

I have no idea who Zay Harding is but I found this video on YouTube and wanted to share it with you. At least Zay has the sense not to go into the water with the hippos. Can’t say the same for the other two dudes. My only question is, what happens when they run out of millet flour mixed with grain?

Oh, also this Zay guy is really cute. Call me, dude.

Pygmy Hippos – Where Do I Get One?

Hippo Honcho — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 16:21:56 +0000

Pygmy hippos are just so darn cute! Check out this footage of someone setting a camera trap in Liberia to prove that hippos still live there. And then stay around until the end to see a captive pygmy hippo getting a tummy rub.

Henrietta the Giant Pink Hippo Cruely Stolen

Hippo Honcho — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 02:18:11 +0000

Lynn McCarty really misses her giant pink hippo Henrietta. No, not a real hippo, but a 300-pound fiberglass one last seen speeding away from her El Dorado Hills, California, home in the bed of a white Ford truck.

“It’s not fair, it’s not right, they need to bring her back,” she told KOVR-TV in Sacramento, California. She suspected more than one person took part in the heist, and that it was well-planned.

Ms. McCarty purchased the hippo about ten years ago from a children’s zoo when it was retired with peeling paint and a broken mouth.

Lynn McCarty's Hippo

If you’ve seen Lynn McCarty’s wayward hippo, please let her know!

The Hippo Overlord –or– The Hipponator

Hippo Honcho — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:14:41 +0000

DAH DAH DAAAAHHHHHH. (Imagine scary, dramatic organ music here.)

Don’t get me wrong, I really dig BBC’s documentaries. I just think they tend to be a bit melodramatic sometimes. Like in this hippo video:

What Was That Crocodile Thinking?

Hippo Honcho — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:00:55 +0000

Okay, so this is a little disturbing to me: a crocodile gets stuck in the middle of a pack of hippos and the hippos get pissed off and kill him. Not that I’m a crocodile hugger or anything but I just don’t like to see wild animals embracing the dark side of the wild. Yes, I know it’s just their nature, blah blah blah. Still, that doesn’t mean I have to SEE it. (I also like to get my meat shrink wrapped at the grocery store and looking not like a dead animal but like steaks. Yes, I am one of THOSE people.) Despite all that, I was fascinated to see this series of pictures of a crocodile running over the backs of basking hippos. See here for the photos.

Hippos on Rampage in Uganda

Hippo Honcho — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 17:46:01 +0000

From The New Vision website in Uganda:

“A herd of hippos from Lake Kakyera in Rakai district has invaded three villages in Kakyera Sub County Rakai district destroying local people’s gardens valued in millions of shillings. Lake Kakyera is situated in Lake Mburo National Park.

John Magara, the district councilor representing Kakyera Sub County identifies the affected areas as Kabumba cell in Lwanga parish, Mukogote and Buyozwa villages in Lyakishana parish.

Magara notes that the hippos attacked the sub county over the weekend.

This comes less than two months after the same sub county was hit by drought that left some local people’s gardens and farms scotched.

Now, Magara wants the Uganda Wildlife Authority to make sure they lay strategies that will prevent hippos from invading people’s gardens again.

However, Lillian Nsubuga, the spokesperson for Uganda Wild Life Authority wants the local people around Lake Mburo National Park to work with the UWA’s community conservation department to prevent wild animals from attacking them.

She says if the two work together, they could implement strategies like digging trenches to protect the animals from crossing into people’s gardens.”