Baby Hippo

[klaasend]

Subject: Baby Hippo   "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 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.



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

[LouiseVargas]

Dear Klaas,

Thank you for posting this story. I read about it some time ago and it is miraculous that the baby hippo and the tortoise found each other and established such a deep relationship.

It's wonderful to know that not only do humans find soulmates, but animals do too.

With love, Louise

[bamajo]

well that is just the sweetest thing!  thanks for posting it klaas.  it put a smile on my face and a reminder on my heart.  

[Peaches]

This is one of the coolest stories I have ever seen.  The pictures are priceless.  It's a shame more people don't take a lesson about getting along from the animals.  

Thanks for posting this.  Certainly made my day.

[Bearlyhere]

Thanks, Klaas.  The expressions on these animals faces are priceless.

[Jerry from Ohio]

   Your totally right on again Peaches  more folks should take a lesson from our animal brothers and sisters .
    Klaas   THANKS  so much for posting this story   your a real sweetie  Ms Klaas .  from Jerry and Lady Jessica  from Ohio .

This is one of the coolest stories I have ever seen.  The pictures are priceless.  It's a shame more people don't take a lesson about getting along from the animals. 

Thanks for posting this.  Certainly made my day.