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ro6ca66

Common hippopotamus (exhibit) : Whipsnade : 23 Aug 2020

Hippopotamus amphibius. Housing (left, shared with Pygmy hippopotamus) and paddocks. Adult male 'Hoover' just visible at top of left-hand paddock. Adult female 'Lola' and three-year old male 'Hodor' visible in right-hand paddock.

Common hippopotamus (exhibit) : Whipsnade : 23 Aug 2020
ro6ca66, 27 Aug 2020
    • SivatheriumGuy
      Always amazing to see hippos with access to actual grass. This is a great exhibit.
    • Pertinax
      @SivatheriumGuy Not really...the exhibit is extremely old, I can remember it from my boyhood circa 60 years ago. The panorama photo is rather misleading as the outdoor paddocks are really quite small and steeper than they look here. The pools drain poorly and are usually filled with floating dung. The indoor exhibits are part modern (higher section, very small) and part (lower section, offshow) antiquated. Having said that its probably the best common Hippo exhibit in UK- doesn't say much!
    • SivatheriumGuy
      @Pertinax I've never really visited the place, so I guess you are right. Despite all of this, many modern hippo exhibits are just a bunch of water in front of a window+a small sandy portion of land, and it always makes me happy seeing this kind of exhibit for them.
    • StoppableSan
      @SivatheriumGuy Maybe they could replicate a marsh system like Werribee, and redo the pools to allow for better drainage? That way this will carry on Whipsnade's tradition of being a "paddock" zoo while also providing even better husbandry for their hippos. Couple that with a new holding area like Cheyenne Mountain, and we're in business! :)
    • SivatheriumGuy
    • Pertinax
      Yes, the concept is preferable to the more modern style of exhibit. Just a pity they don't modernise it some more.
    • ro6ca66
      I've uploaded an additional photo, which better shows the steepness of parts of the paddocks:

      [​IMG]
    • SivatheriumGuy
      Kinda reminds me of Cabarceno's hippo exhibit.
    • Zorro
      I seem to remember there being a lot of trees next to the water edge over hanging the water!
    • Pertinax
      @Zorro There are a few willow trees, mostly overhanging the smaller, upper pool.
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  • Category:
    ZSL Whipsnade Zoo
    Uploaded By:
    ro6ca66
    Date:
    27 Aug 2020
    View Count:
    2,185
    Comment Count:
    11

    EXIF Data

    File Size:
    3.4 MB
    Mime Type:
    image/jpeg
    Width:
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    Height:
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    Aperture:
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    Make:
    Canon
    Model:
    Canon EOS 5D Mark III
    Date / Time:
    2020:08:23 16:38:36
    Exposure Time:
    1/200 sec
    ISO Speed Rating:
    ISO 125
    Focal Length:
    20 mm
     

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