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Tortoise Mothers Hippo After Tsunami

by Thea
A baby Hippo that survived the Tsunami waves on the Kenyan coast snuggles close a giant century old tortoise in an animal facility in Mombasa. The Kenyan government plans to send hundreds of exotic and endangered animals to Thailand in a wildlife swap that drew harsh criticism from conservationists and concern from tourism officials.
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NAIROBI (AFP) - A baby-hippopotamus that survived the tsumani 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 Mombasa, 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 tsumani 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 traumatised. 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.

The article says, "they swim together." Tortoises don't swim. How is that possible?
by Richard Hagen (Richard.Hagen [at] unisys.com)
How are the hippo and it adopted tortoise parent doing? I would think the 'little' hippo would be just what the tortoise needed to live an even longer and happy life.
by Bobby Boyle
I can only speculate to the meaning of "swim", but do you remember when you were a child, like three, and you kinda jst sat in the bath tub while your mom put shampoo in your hair and read you a book, i think thats what Mzee does. Just an imagination.
by Tortoise owner
I also believe that the word "swim" was used loosely. We have an 18 month old African Tortoise. He loves his warm baths daily. He goes as deep as he can and drops to his belly and soaks.
by Michael
saw the news footage of this pair.. Wonderful... We have a 20 year of Burmise Black Tortise who loves water (soak, not swim) and 8 year old African Leopards who do Not like the water except to drink,,, go figure..
by Olaya (olayabalcells [at] hotmail.com)
Thea: yes, the tortoises CAN SWIM!
by Cheryl Stewart
Yes, but it depends on the species. I didn't know that either because most tortoises generally can not. But the giant Aldabra tortoise can. I believe that is the tortoise shown here. I have seen a video of a 500 Aldabra swimming in the ocean and it's incredible. I have one and she loves taking an occasional dip but she is just a yearling.

by rs
The initial story I read said that plans were being made to relocate the hippo to a larger pond, but didn't say if he would still be with the tortoise...Does anyone know? Hopefully they'll be allowed to remain together!
by Debbie
I have visted the park where they are kept. They did try and relocate Owen but both Owen and Mzee were depressed and would not eat. They tried this for one month, but they were obviously missing each other. They have put them back together and that is how they are going to stay. They now have another hippo there too for 'hippo' company for Owen.
by Sean
All species of tortoises naturally float and are able to swim.
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