Hippos in the USA

I am happy to take critisism don't worry, i'm the first to admit i'm wrong. What i'm basing my judgement on is from what i've seen while working in these zoos on exchanges. I'm in marine mammals mainly, so my hippo knowledge ain't as much as my marine mammals knowledge, but there are some big time issues in terms of zoo's attitudes towards the mega-fauna. As in most zoo's and zoo visitors and zoo staff i've spoken to expect to see elephants, hippo, rhino and so on, despite the fact that to keep them the majority of zoo's keep them in facilities not really suited to the animals, including social grouping. I'm not passing judgement saying australia's amazing, cause australian zoo's are loaded with problems of their own. However in terms of management of the same species, it's not just Australia but European zoo's are building very high quality hippo habitats for social groupings. It's just simply the way it is.
 
Just browsing the web wondering what to do this holiday weekend and was taking a look at the New Jersey Aquarium and discovered they have two common hippo, both female. Does anyone know the history of button and genny the hippo being exhibited here?
 
Button was born in 1997 at a zoo in Leon, Mexico. And Genevieve was born in 2000 at Disney. They both arrived in 2005 from Disney when the Adventure Aquarium (formerly NJ State Aquarium) expanded.
 
okapikpr said:
Button was born in 1997 at a zoo in Leon, Mexico. And Genevieve was born in 2000 at Disney. They both arrived in 2005 from Disney when the Adventure Aquarium (formerly NJ State Aquarium) expanded.
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Thanks Okapi - going to struggle to find a question you dont know the answer to! Thanks Again
 
hippos in australia...its a wonder we have any at all and its only for the fact they are so long lived that we even have any.
 
okapikpr said:
I believe your closest Hippos are in Philadelphia, PA and Camden, NJ.
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Yep, that's where they would be--however Philadelphia & Camden are both 4 hour drives. It just amazes me that there are easily 10 closer zoos and aquariums and we haven't any hippos.
 
Well, don't feel too bad, my nearest hippos are an eight hour drive, and my nearest elephants are a six hour drive (6 hours for Africans, 8 for Asians)
 
Ituri said:
Well, don't feel too bad, my nearest hippos are an eight hour drive, and my nearest elephants are a six hour drive (6 hours for Africans, 8 for Asians)
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Ick! That's not cool at all! During the winter, my nearest elephants are 4 hours too but still...not cool.

It always amazed me though that animals like hippo's, orang's, bonobo's, etc. I've had to go far from NY to see. I just still haven't seen hippo's.
 
taun said:
Even if you do see them, they will probably be lying down somewhere. I have only seen a Hippo active just before dusk.
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Not really. Whenever I go to a zoo that has hippos with underwater viewing, i go there first thing in the morning to see the hippos actively swimming. You will see them lying around in the mid-day.
 
BlackRhino said:
Not really. Whenever I go to a zoo that has hippos with underwater viewing, i go there first thing in the morning to see the hippos actively swimming. You will see them lying around in the mid-day.
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I only stated when I have seen them most active, not that they are ONLY active at dusk.

Most zoos in the UK don't open untill ten and I find Hippos are allready resting by then.
 
Toledo Zoo in ohio opens at 10AM and they let the hippos out at 11AM. If you go on the hippo cam around 11AM you can see the two hippos play-fighting with each other in their pool. Its pretty fun to watch. My point is that hippos can actually be very active animals, you just have to see them at the right time.
 
Dublin zoos hippos are quite active any time ive seen them however their pool isnt great for viewing underwater. just the occasionaly splash at the surface
 
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