"Are You My Mother?" hippo adopted by tortoise

[Doctor Q]

Reuters: Tsunami-surviving hippo in Kenya seeks solace in a century-old tortoise (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/asiaquakekenya)

A bit of good news about one non-human tsunami survivor:

A baby hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen, survived the tsunami and was rescued by wildlife rangers. But it needed a mother, so it found itself one: a giant male century-old tortoise!

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.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20050107/capt.sge.ujd07.060105202336.photo00.photo.default-380x276.jpg

[jsw]

That's a very cool story. It'd be interesting to see how things progress as the hippo grows....

[MacDawg]

Now if everybody else from different backgrounds could just learn to get along with one another!

Nice to see something heartwarming come out of the tragedy.

Woof, Woof - Dawg

[jackieonasses]

Reuters: Tsunami-surviving hippo in Kenya seeks solace in a century-old tortoise (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/asiaquakekenya)

A bit of good news about one non-human tsunami survivor:

A baby hippopotamus, nicknamed Owen, survived the tsunami and was rescued by wildlife rangers. But it needed a mother, so it found itself one: a giant male century-old tortoise!


http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/afp/20050107/capt.sge.ujd07.060105202336.photo00.photo.default-380x276.jpg aww that is so cute! and yes i am straight.

kyle

[Daveway]

Thats cute. Kinda like a Disney movie. Don't you think? :p

[Dr. Dastardly]

That's a very cool story. It'd be interesting to see how things progress as the hippo grows....
CRUNCH!

[emw]

The next picture will be of the tortoise reading "Hippos for Dummies."

[emw]

Now if everybody else from different backgrounds could just learn to get along with one another!
Hear hear!

[jsw]

The next picture will be of the tortoise reading "Hippos for Dummies."
That would be doubly appropriate, since tortoises are so, um, slow.

Sorry, long day, going to bed soon.

[virividox]

as long as the hippo doesnt get hungry :)

[wdlove]

That is such a cute picture. A very heartwarming story. This reminds me of a Biblical story. Solace in a time of disaster. Hopefully the young hippo will find some of its own kind eventually. It will be important for proper development.

[Jalexster]

Read the article:

In 2002, a barren Kenyan lioness made several attempts to play mother to baby antelopes, one of which ended with a rival lion making a meal out of the calf, and the others when rangers separated the animals.

eep.

"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.

eep.

[Chip NoVaMac]

Great story to hear from this battered region.

[Doctor Q]

Do male tortoises have maternal instincts? Is this tortoise really acting as a mother, as opposed to acting like a father? Is there a difference in behavior between hippo or tortoise moms and dads?

Or is the hippo assuming the tortoise is the parent and the tortoise just isn't paying attention?

Any hippologists or tortoisologists out there?

[wdlove]

Read the article:

eep.

eep.

It was the picture that inspired the thought and not the article. The article was relating real life here on earth. I don't blame the lion.

Either way Doctor Q, I just pray that the hippo will be OK.