Nah, don’t think so. The hippo mortality rate of the calves was always like that. I believe it may have increased a little bit because of the amount of the hippos they had at that time in those two small enclosures. This definitely would’ve caused a lot of dominance and aggression. So if there was little calves in the mix, then they most definitely wouldn’t have stood a chance.
The mortality rate was consistently high in both exhibits. As @Jambo said, the amount of hippopotami (especially adult bulls) would have had the biggest impact. Survival of calves was pretty good up until the late 1960. By this time , the zoo had four adult hippopotami including two bulls, Scuba and Kabete; and two females, who were unrelated to each other. In 1980, the population was at 2.4 adults and the last three calves had died. The death of one of the bulls in 1980 probably allowed the survival of Faith’s calf in 1982. With two exhibits, they could seperate the bull and the other three cows into one exhibit; away from Faith and her newborn son.
Thank you both for your replies @Zoofan15 and @Jambo. Do you know what groups the hippos were kept in during the 1960s to 1980s?
If we use paternity of calves born during that period as an indicator: 1956-1965: Kabete and Nada 1966-1972: Kabete and Snorkle; Scuba and Bonnie 1973-1975: Kabete and Bonnie; Scuba and Snorkle 1977-1980: Kabete, Snorkle and Hope; Scuba, Bonnie and Faith 1980-1981: Kabete, Snorkle and Hope; Bonnie and Faith 1982-1986: Kabete, Faith and Floyd; Snorkle 1987: Kabete, Faith and Fonzee; Snorkle and Solucky 1988: Kabete and Snorkle; Faith and Fudge 1989-1993: Kabete, Faith and Fudge; Snorkle 1994: Faith and Fudge; Snorkle Kabete alternated between Snorkle and Faith in the late 80’s/early 90’s, likely based on who had a young calf at the time. Snorkle gave birth to a calf in Dec 1988, which would have been conceived March 1988. This is the month Faith gave birth to twins (which would have required Kabete’s temporary removal).
That's really interesting. So Floyd was kept with his father, Kabete up until he died? I was just looking at the list of hippo births you linked in the other thread and it said Fonzee and Solucky was born within a month of eachother. Do you know how they would have managed this with Kabete and Floyd around?
Yes he was. We know this because Floyd died during an operation at the age of five to castrate him. The aim was to reduce the fighting between him and his father. I don't know for sure but it's likely that Snorkle and Faith were put together, along with their newborn calves; while Kabete and Floyd occupied the other exhibit. It'd also explain the decision to castrate Floyd; rather than separate him from Kabete i.e. he couldn't have been separated as the females and newborn calves were occupying the other exhibit.
dear Zoofan 15 Thanks for your knowledge . I agree with you , Faith simply floated over the barriers and made her gentle escape into Western Springs. I was a child at the time and was fascinated by the event. I think the army herded her back to the zoo. She was wandering the streets in Pt Chev for a few hours. There was no damage to the fences by Her. The article is so wrong. Maybe you could help my knowledge . Did she die a few years laster due to some idiot throwing a beach ball into her enclosure. and her swallowing it . I was very sad about that as a child. It was traumatic news to me . She was my heroine for a long while .. the creature least likely to escape actually passively achieved it ! It became a philosophy for me throughout me life.
No problem, I’m glad I could be of assistance. Faith died of fatal haemorrhagic respiratory disease at the age of 41 years in 2016. She was the zoo’s last Common hippopotamus. She lived a relatively long life and produced 14 offspring - three of which survived to adulthood. The killer balls were actually rubber/tennis balls. There were at least nine fatalities across the region’s zoos including three at Auckland Zoo: Chaka in 1937; Dimazulu in 1946; and Kiboko in 1970.
Thank You Zoofan15 Faith restored in Faith . Yay ! I was following the cocaine Hippos( Pablo Escapobar) on YouTube and remembered Faith's escape. you have amazing knowledge !
I believe the South American hippos exceeds more than 100 animals currently with one animal coming out on a beach in Mexico!
Thank you. Faith was an exceptional hippopotamus. She was a large female and a fiercely protective mother. She had the most offspring survive in the new exhibit (three). Her 14 calves included two sets of twins - one of these calves was her son Fudge, who remained at the zoo and died a few months before Faith in 2016. Faith is survived in the region by her granddaughter and three great-grandchildren at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. I’ve created this thread for ongoing research of hippopotamus in the region. Faith’s family line is detailed in Post #3: Australasian Hippopotamus Population - Discussion, History and Research
