# Baby Hippo finds new mother



## SteveP (Dec 10, 2011)

My wife showed me this story and I wanted to share.

Nature is so interesting. Who knew a tortoise had emotions?

Much of life can never be explained but only witnessed" - Rachel Naomi Remen, MD







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 shore 

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 away 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 followed 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. 






"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, 

but by the moments that take our breath away." 






This is a real story that shows that our differences don't matter 

much when we need the comfort of another. 

We could all learn a lesson from these two creatures of God, 

"Look beyond the differences and find a way to walk the path together." 






Save the Earth... it's the only planet with chocolate. 

"Those who bring sunshine into the lives of others, cannot keep it from themselves."


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## DeanS (Dec 10, 2011)

I remember those shots! I liked 'em then...and I like 'em now! Thanks for posting!

BTW...any Flash updates?


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## SteveP (Dec 10, 2011)

Flash is growing like a weed. I will be posting some pics soon. He went with us on our Thanksgiving vacation to the Keys. Stay tuned


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## DeanS (Dec 10, 2011)

Now...that's cool! I lived in Wellington for a few years...when I worked at Lion Country Safari...NEVER made it to the Keys, though! Too bad...coulda started a Burmese collection


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## Laura (Dec 10, 2011)

i wonder if they are still together.. i guess the hippo wasnt so young it still needed to be nursing.


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## Yvonne G (Dec 10, 2011)

No, they moved the hippo in with a young female last year. There's been a movie and several books made on this duo. Owen and Mzee.


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## gopherhockey03 (Dec 10, 2011)

That's so cool!


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## ShadowRancher (Dec 10, 2011)

Wow...perfect timing too, I want a hippopotomous for Christmas has been stick in my head for days


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## l0velesly (Dec 10, 2011)

I just love this true story.. it's so cute!


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## lynnedit (Dec 10, 2011)

Thanks for sharing this, I just love this story!


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## ALDABRAMAN (Dec 10, 2011)

Great article.


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## Weda737 (Dec 10, 2011)

Tortoises name was M'zee or something like that.


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## doubletorts (Dec 11, 2011)

I've seen the first picture but never the story! How amazing!


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## nikki0601 (Dec 11, 2011)

I love that second to last pic, the hippo appears to be smiling while he sleeps on his new momma.. Adorable and amazing


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## laramie (Dec 11, 2011)

Steve,
Please thank your wife for finding this story. And THANK YOU for sharing this story with us! I almost stared to cry. Thank you again for sharing this stroy.


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## Katherine (Dec 11, 2011)

View attachment 14246


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