Hippo hurray at Werribee Zoo » Werribee Open Range Zoo

23-12-2007

In their book "The Last Great Wild Beast Show", British RSPCA inspectors Jordan & Ormrod mention a hippo at one safari park which frequently broke out due to inadequate fencing. Until such time as strong enough fencing could be provided the hippo was locked (during summer) in an old railway wagon. Without room for movement and without proper ventilation the poor animal sweated and grew distraught. Periodically buckets of water were thrown over him to try and keep his skin moist. Many weeks later fencing was finally finished and he was allowed out.

29-12-2007

I was just looking at this article
Werribee Open Range Zoo's hippos | Herald Sun
and it got me wondering. It has been five years since Tulip was born and as far as I know there haven't been any births since. Does any one know if WEerrribee intend on breeding the hippos again?

29-12-2007

i think there is a recommended pairing between werribee/dubbo from memory (i think dubbo is supposed to be sending a male to werribee but don't hold me to that) but its been stalled for years for various reasons such as the development of the new hippo exhibit at werribee.

not really sure how that should effect a move however since the werribee zoo still has a large (ex drive-through) hippo exhibit that is now sitting empty..

03-01-2008

Looks like my question may have been answered. Let's hope that there is a birth soon.
The Geelong Advertiser

03-01-2008

Great news! We need to increase the number of hippos in Australasian zoos or they will suddenly go the way of the pymy hippo and we will be trying to breed with only a couple of ancient hippo retirees.

While going back over old threads on hippos I saw (mentioned by Patrick and confirmed by Zoo Pro) that Auckland's male has been castrated.

I know we mere mortals are not supposed to question the wisdom of zoo administrators, but what drongo decided to do that! The only male hippo in New Zealand; one of only 5 males in the region; only 20 years old (hippos live to about 50) and they castrate him! Sometimes I wonder!

I know what I'd do to the clown that came up with that bright idea! (SNIP SNIP!)

03-01-2008

I agree with you Ara it does not sound like a real good move on Aucklands part, maybe they were not looking at the bigger picture, something we cant afford to do with species that are small in number in our region.

03-01-2008

Before you start running down a zoo for its animal management practices, you might try to fnd out some facts first - do you know why it was castrated? Have you bothered to check before you run the zoo and its animal managers down?

I don't know the reason, although I'll try to find out, but for heaven's sake, let's not turn this forum into a place where people who don't know the facts publicly run down zoos (or other organisations).

Give yourself and this forum at least some credibility by fnding out some facts first.

03-01-2008

Zoopro before you defend a zoo shouldn't you know the facts. If there is no valid reason for cutting off its balls shouldn't members on this forum have the right to critise the zoos actions? lets keep this forum open to both criticise poor decisions made by zoos and praise good decisions made by zoos.

03-01-2008

I'm all for freedom of speech and criticising poor decisions, but my point is, let's find out the reason before we criticise.

03-01-2008

fair enough.

03-01-2008

i remember watching "the zoo" a while back.
auckland had 3 hippos (3F, 1M) one female was the mother and the male (they were the compatible pair) and would attack the second female. maybe this was why he was castrated.

btw, how would u castrate a hippo?

04-01-2008

It would be a damned dangerous business for the hippo.
To quote Dr.Mitchell Bush of the National Zoological Park, U.S.A.,"Hippotamuses have few medical problems, which is fortunate, because anaesthetising them is a problem. Anaesthesia of hippopotamuses is associated with a high mortality rate."
Or maybe they didn't anaesthetise him.

05-01-2008

maybe the reason Auckland Zoo made the decision to castrate was that within New Zealand no other zoos wanted any hippos, Auckland didnt have room for more hippos, zoos in other regions excluding Australia already had self sustaining populations meaning Auckland's choices for exporting offspring were limited.....and within the Australasian region managing hippo is difficult because of quarantine laws.
it does seem 'silly' to castrate an intact hippo but the above reasons or a combination of them does rationalise it to a degree

20-01-2008

I was at werribee almost half a year ago and the were mating the male and the mother from last time. And all the keepers were around taking notes and timing how long it went for.
The keepers let the daughter into the pool next door and thought she would be distraught from being seperated from her mother but she just went under the water and i didn't see her again

23-01-2008

i suspect your right glyn.