Baby Hippo takes Tortoise for new mom!

Beerleader · 12-13-2005, 12:10 PM

This is such a sweet story it melts my heart, I figured I'd share. The fourth pic is by far my fav! What a doll

NAIROBI (AFP) - A baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami waves on the Kenyan coast has formed a strong bond with a giant male century-old tortoise, in an animal facility in the port city of Mombassa, officials said.

The hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen and weighing about 300 kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down Sabaki River into the Indian Ocean, then forced back to s**** when tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on December 26, before wildlife rangers rescued him.

"It is incredible. A-less-than-a-year-old hippo has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother'," ecologist Paula Kahumbu, who is in charge of Lafarge Park, told AFP.

"After it was swept and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized. It had to look for something to be a surrogate mother. Fortunately, it landed on the tortoise and established a strong bond. They swim, eat and sleep together," the ecologist added. "The hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it follows its mother. If somebody approaches the tortoise, the hippo becomes aggressive, as if protecting its biological mother," Kahumbu added.

"The hippo is a young baby, he was left at a very tender age and by nature, hippos are social animals that like to stay with their mothers for four years," he explained.

Chazwick · 12-13-2005, 12:45 PM

That is so beautiful!!!

I'm so sad the hippos mother died though ....

Beerleader · 12-13-2005, 12:57 PM

I know its heart wrenching. And reading the story of how he got swept away is so sad too. That poor lil guy! He's the cutest lil thing, and man watching him follow that tortoise is so sweet but so sad. He just wants love that poor baby! I wonder what the tortoise will do when the hippo's really big?

Lexus · 12-13-2005, 04:38 PM

The animal kingdom is so amazing

fishfreaks · 12-13-2005, 08:46 PM

Aww, that is so adorable

Meeocky · 12-13-2005, 09:33 PM

heh that's cute

Beerleader · 12-13-2005, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lexus

The animal kingdom is so amazing

I know this kind of examples show they are so capable of being so "human" almost. I mean we adopt children, and it seems so do they.

Beerleader · 12-13-2005, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishfreaks

Aww, that is so adorable

Oh I know isn't it? lol makes me wanna go give em some hugs and squeezes hehe

**Fishfirst** · 12-14-2005, 09:24 AM

funny you all say that considering a hippo is the last thing I'd want to hug and squeeze

they are, after all, the most dangerous animal in africa.

**Cichlid Man** · 12-14-2005, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beerleader

Oh I know isn't it? lol makes me wanna go give em some hugs and squeezes hehe

So you wanna squeeze one huh? Sure, just come say hello my Grandma, I'm sure she'll be happy to give you a big hug.

Lydia · 12-15-2005, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cichlid Man

So you wanna squeeze one huh? Sure, just come say hello my Grandma, I'm sure she'll be happy to give you a big hug.

Lmao!

Beerleader · 12-15-2005, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cichlid Man

So you wanna squeeze one huh? Sure, just come say hello my Grandma, I'm sure she'll be happy to give you a big hug.

LOL good one

**Baby_Baby** · 12-16-2005, 04:29 PM

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

micstarz · 12-20-2005, 04:00 AM

an alternative to squeezing a hippo is to squeeze the tortoise: at least he wont attack you

12-13-2005, 12:10 PM	#1
Beerleader Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lexington, Kentucky Age: 34 Posts: 382 User Feedback: (0)	Baby Hippo takes Tortoise for new mom! This is such a sweet story it melts my heart, I figured I'd share. The fourth pic is by far my fav! What a doll NAIROBI (AFP) - A baby hippopotamus that survived the tsunami waves on the Kenyan coast has formed a strong bond with a giant male century-old tortoise, in an animal facility in the port city of Mombassa, officials said. The hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen and weighing about 300 kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down Sabaki River into the Indian Ocean, then forced back to s** when tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on December 26, before wildlife rangers rescued him. "It is incredible. A-less-than-a-year-old hippo has adopted a male tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to be very happy with being a 'mother'," ecologist Paula Kahumbu, who is in charge of Lafarge Park, told AFP. "After it was swept and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized. It had to look for something to be a surrogate mother. Fortunately, it landed on the tortoise and established a strong bond. They swim, eat and sleep together," the ecologist added. "The hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it follows its mother. If somebody approaches the tortoise, the hippo becomes aggressive, as if protecting its biological mother," Kahumbu added. "The hippo is a young baby, he was left at a very tender age and by nature, hippos are social animals that like to stay with their mothers for four years," he explained. __________________ P.S., I'm a GIRL!!!** ~Ashley~

12-13-2005, 12:45 PM	#2
Chazwick <3 Break it... Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Inside Your Skull <3 Age: 17 Posts: 404 User Feedback: (0)	That is so beautiful!!! I'm so sad the hippos mother died though .... __________________ In my dreams I’m dying all the time, As I wake it’s kaleidoscopic mind, I never meant to hurt you, I never meant to lie, So this is goodbye, This is goodbye, Tell the truth you never wanted me, Tell me, In my dreams I’m jealous all the time, As I wake I’m going out of my mind, Going out of my mind... ♥

12-13-2005, 12:57 PM	#3
Beerleader Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Lexington, Kentucky Age: 34 Posts: 382 User Feedback: (0)	I know its heart wrenching. And reading the story of how he got swept away is so sad too. That poor lil guy! He's the cutest lil thing, and man watching him follow that tortoise is so sweet but so sad. He just wants love that poor baby! I wonder what the tortoise will do when the hippo's really big? __________________ **P.S., I'm a GIRL!!!** ~Ashley~

12-13-2005, 04:38 PM	#4
Lexus Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Wisconsin Age: 22 Posts: 2,399 User Feedback: (0)	The animal kingdom is so amazing __________________ 55 Gallon 2 Parrots 2 Angels 1 Albino BN Pleco 1 Goldfish 47 Gallon 2 Angels 4 Black Skirt Tetras 8 Tiger Barbs 9 Zebra Danios 11 Corys 29 Gallon 8 Daffodil Cichlids 10 Gallon 1 Betta 5 ADFs

12-13-2005, 08:46 PM	#5
fishfreaks M&F Couple Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: PA Age: 21 Posts: 4,303 User Feedback: (5)	Aww, that is so adorable __________________ VOTE FOR FISH FORUMS

Members currently in the Chat:0
	Users In Chat Room: There are several users in chat now! Don't Be Shy - click here and come on in!

12-13-2005, 09:33 PM	#6
Meeocky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Louisiana Age: 26 Posts: 113 User Feedback: (0)	heh that's cute

12-14-2005, 09:24 AM	#9
Fishfirst Fish Guru Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Soon to be Northern Wisconsin Age: 24 Posts: 3,489 User Feedback: (1)	funny you all say that considering a hippo is the last thing I'd want to hug and squeeze they are, after all, the most dangerous animal in africa. __________________ 210 Gal Reef w/ 55 Gallon Sump/Fuge, 125 Gal Fish Only, 65 Gal Seahorse-29 Gallon Sump, 55 Gal FOWLR, 54 Gal Corner FW Community, 20 Gal Nano FOWLR, 55 Gal Piranha, 29 gallon QT "All the yellow tangs and clownfish in the world can't save you now! hahahah" Peter from Family Guy

12-16-2005, 04:29 PM	#13
Baby_Baby Friendly Neighborhood Mod Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Tulsa Posts: 3,527 User Feedback: (0)	awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww __________________ *Emotion is energy in motion.*

12-20-2005, 04:00 AM	#14
micstarz I'm Back! Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Earth Age: 13 Posts: 658 User Feedback: (0)	an alternative to squeezing a hippo is to squeeze the tortoise: at least he wont attack you __________________

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Thread Tools	Search this Thread
Show Printable Version Email this Page	Search this Thread: Advanced Search
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode