One year after being adopted by a giant male tortoise, the baby hippo Owen has not left his adoptive father’s side.
In December 2004, baby hippo Owen, who was less than a year old, was living with his herd at the mouth of the Sabaki River in Kenya when a tsunami struck the West African coast. The waves swept the baby hippo away and washed him up on the shores of Malindi.
Local residents took him to the Haller Park sanctuary. Here, Owen met Mzee, a 130-year-old tortoise, likely attracted to the tortoise due to the round shape and gray color of its shell, which resembled the skin of adult hippos.
Initially, Mzee reacted cautiously. However, over time, the two formed a close bond, surprising the sanctuary staff. Owen followed Mzee around the park, swimming in the pool, and even snuggled into Mzee’s shell to sleep.
The sanctuary staff plan to introduce Owen to a single female hippo named Cleo, who is 13 years old, next year.
