Hippo Thanksgiving!

November 25, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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Thanksgiving Hippo

Thanksgiving Hippo


Does anyone send Thanksgiving cards? Is there such a thing as a Thanksgiving card? I myself have never sent one and I feel absolutely sure that I never will. For one thing, I’m a slacker and sending cards is just way too much work. For another thing, anyone I care to see at Thanksgiving I see at Thanksgiving. I don’t need to send them a card to tell them I’m pretending to think about them. Because I’m not. I’m too busy stuffing myself with turkey and sweet potato casserole to care much who else is not pigging out next to me at the dinner table.

So I’m kind of surprised that I took the time to design a Thanksgiving card. Well, I already had the hippo done and I just had to add the hat. Which actually was a lot more work than you might think. It’s not every day you see a Pilgrim hat. Do you even know anyone who owns one? I thought not. So I had to search around the Internet to see what a Pilgrim hat looks like. Basically it’s just a big black squarish hat with a buckle. Why did they need a buckle up there? I have no idea. But it looks dumb without the buckle and totally non-Thanksgivingy.

Anyway, here’s the design. Please tell me if you like it and if you send turkey day cards or not. Either way, you might see this card in the store next year.

Mistress Hippopotamus Magnet

November 24, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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Mistress Hippopotamus Magnet

Mistress Hippopotamus Magnet

Like any forward thinking hippo, Mistress Hippopotamus remembers to take her umbrella with her because the forecast called for a light, spritzy rain.

The 2″ x 3″ magnet features a vintage illustration professionally printed on a flat magnetic backing and reads, “Mistress Hippopotamus takes her green umbrella…”

Our exclusive collection of magnets make charming gifts for friends or coworkers. Tuck one into a holiday stocking or add it to your refrigerator collection!

Our magnet is a Hippo Mojo Exclusive which means you won’t find it anywhere else. You can buy as many as you want here.

Hippo Wine Bottle Stopper

November 23, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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When I think of the need to plug things up, the first thing I think of is a big old hippo butt. Big old hippo butts can plug up just about anything and they are especially good at plugging up wine bottles. Unless you are the kind of person who drinks an entire bottle in one go, you must have this wine bottle stopper. Both are very cute; the top one is made of brass and the bottom one is of stone resin. They make wonderful gifts for coworkers or friends and are equally welcome in one’s holiday stocking or under the tree.

Hippo Brass Wine Stopper

Hippo Brass Wine Stopper

Our laughing hippo wine bottle cork (above) is cast from zinc and electroplated with an antique brass finish. Made in Cape Town, South Africa, by a fair trade brass casting company that is one of Africa’s biggest casting producers, each wine bottle cork is meticulously checked by many hands. Wonderful gift for wine enthusiasts or hippo collectors. Buy your hippo wine stopper here.

Hippo Bottle & Wine Stopper

Hippo Bottle & Wine Stopper

Your favorite animal will be the toast of the town on these pewter-base, cork bottle stoppers, designed to fit any standard bottle. Ideal for gift giving. Hippo wine stopper measures about 3″ to 3 1/2″. Must have!

New Baby Pygmy Hippo at the Zoo Miami

November 21, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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Zoo Miami has a newborn pygmy hippo, a girl, the size of a football and weighing about 12 pounds, and the first born in over 20 years. This baby girl is the eleventh born at the zoo. Her doting parents are 18-year-old Kelsey and 11-year-old Pogo. Mama Kelsey is relieved to have given birth after her 6 to 7 month pregnancy.

Mama and Papa want to name their daughter “Pudgekins” but zoo officials have decided to ignore their wishes and ask the public to name the baby in a contest this week. The winner will view the baby and her parents in a private, behind-the-scenes meeting, although Kelsey and Pogo have not promised to be polite.

Zoo Miami Baby Hippo

Zoo Miami Baby Hippo

From the CBS4 website:

“We are extremely excited about this birth because this is a very rare animal in the wild and it has been over 20 years since we have had a pygmy hippo born at the zoo,” said Ron Magill, communications and media director. “It is testimony that the zoo is doing all of the right things in order to make this normally shy animal comfortable enough to reproduce successfully and to be a great mother.”

Zoo officials said the baby will remain off exhibit with its mother for the next several days to allow the mother and baby to bond and ensure the infant develops a strong foundation without extra external stress. Magill said after they determine she is stable she will be on exhibit.

Beaded Hippopotamus Ornament

November 20, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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Hang our quizzical beaded hippo ornament from your holiday tree this year! Made from sequins and glass beads on satin, this sweet hippo is finished with silver cording and measures approximately 3” wide. Each is handmade by a talented self-help group of low-income, fair trade artisans in Agra, India, using traditional Zardozi embroidery techniques.

Beaded Hippopotamus Ornament

Beaded Hippopotamus Ornament

This special ornament is imported by WorldFinds, a fair trade company founded in 2000. Fair trade is an equitable, long-term relationship between trading partners, and a way to ensure low-income artisans are truly being helped out of poverty.

From the WorldFinds website:

Fair trade is a growing movement to help low-income artisans in developing countries move towards economic self-sufficiency. It promotes sustainability on all levels and creates opportunities to alleviate poverty. Artisans receive fair wages, education, financial and technical assistance, and have safe working conditions. Fair trade organizations like WorldFinds pre-pay 50% for their products upfront, and work closely with the artisans on design and quality. Fair trade is about respectful relationships and is having a positive impact on the lives of thousands of artisans. It is starting to make the world a better place. It is also a long-awaited alternative to traditional trade and a way to effect real social change!

WorldFinds ensures that we:

- pay a fair wage in the local context
- support safe, healthy & participatory workplaces
- provide 50% pre-payment for orders placed
- build long-term relationships
- provide ongoing education and training
- ensure environmental sustainability
- provide equal opportunities for all people, particularly the most disadvantaged
- respect cultural identity
- build long-term, direct relationships

There are 9 Principles of Fair Trade recently adopted by the Fair Trade Federation,
and soon there will be explicit practices on how those principles can be achieved.
All of this and a wealth of great information about fair trade can be found
at: www.fairtradefederation.org.

Buy yours here.

Why The Hippo Splatters His Poop

November 15, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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Once upon a time, hippos used to love to eat fish. They waded into the river and ate perch, carp, sunfish, and catfish. The hippos loved to eat fish and they loved the water so much that they asked God if they could live partially in water. God agreed but made them promise to give up fish in return for their new habitat. The hippos reluctantly agreed.

To prove to God that they were keeping up their side of the bargain, the hippos spin their tails and scatter their dung in a wide arc so that God can peer at it to scan for fish bones.

Hippo Pooping in Water

Hippo Pooping in Water

See also:
Why The Hippo Spins His Tail To Poop
Why The Hippo Lives In Water
More On Hippo Poop – an animated video

Christmas Hippo Cards

November 14, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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A portly brown hippo asks for your love and kisses as he poses under the mistletoe. He wears a red ribbon around his neck – he’s a perfect gift!

Hippo Holidays - Brown Hippo With Mistletoe

Hippo Holidays - Brown Hippo With Mistletoe

Is it a hippo or a reindeer? It’s hard to tell with our hippdeer, a slightly confused looking hippo with antlers.

Hippo Holidays - Pink Hippo With Antlers

Hippo Holidays - Pink Hippo With Antlers

Hippos like holidays too, and our purple hippo is no exception. He wears a red Santa hat with blue trim and he stares whimsically out of the card as if to ask what you plan to get him for Christmas.

Hippo Holidays - Purple Hippo With Santa Hat

Hippo Holidays - Purple Hippo With Santa Hat

Cards are made of heavyweight gloss cover stock with uncoated paper inside that you can write a special message on. They are folded to 5″ x 3.5″ and the inside reads, “Hippo Holidays.” Each card comes with a white 70 lb. envelope. These note cards are Hippo Mojo exclusives, designed by us and professionally printed on glossy cover stock and cost $2.95 each. Browse our selection.

The Helpful Hippo Mama

November 13, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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Hippo Helps Wildebeest

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

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

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

November 12, 2010 by · Leave a Comment
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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.

Nico-de-Bruyn-with-hippo

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

Singing & Dancing Ballerina Christmas Hippo

November 11, 2010 by · 1 Comment
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Last year’s singing and dancing hippos were such a success that this year we ordered more of them AND because we love our customers so much, we ordered a second kind!!! Yes, that’s right, now you can choose from TWO different kinds of singing and dancing hippos! Here’s a pic of the new gal in town:

Singing & Dancing Ballerina Christmas Hippo

Singing & Dancing Ballerina Christmas Hippo

Singing & Dancing Ballerina Christmas Hippo

Singing & Dancing Ballerina Christmas Hippo

OMG, you must buy one of these crazy hippos!

And if you forget what the original hippo looks like, check her out here.