ZOO Antwerpen - Hippotopia (Hippo House)

A view inside the Hippo House in the Hippotopia theme in ZOO Antwerpen. This exhibit features common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) and can be divided into two land and two water parts. This is one of the many traditional buildings at the zoo now rebuilt to modern husbandry standards.

Hippotopia opened in 2006 and is one of the newest themes in the zoo housing various wetland creatures.

ZOO Antwerpen, July 2011.

I'm searching for the correct opening date of the zoos first hippo house, what was destroyed in the second world war. I'm also want to know the same for the first hippo house at Artis-can anybody help ?

Thank you.

Bib Fortuna said:

I'm searching for the correct opening date of the zoos first hippo house, what was destroyed in the second world war.

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I checked my copy of the book “The Chant of Paradise; The Antwerp Zoo; 150 Years of History” (Roland Baetens; 1993).

According to this volume Antwerp Zoo acquired two hippos in 1880 that were originally housed in the “Egyptian Temple”. In 1885 the hippos “received suitable accommodation” and the Hippo House contained three large ponds 2.5 metres deep.

Bib Fortuna said:

I'm also want to know the same for the first hippo house at Artis-can anybody help ?

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I have two books about the history of Amsterdam (Artis) Zoo so I’ll check these to see if I can find a date for the Hippo House – although these are in Dutch so it will take me longer to search through them.

Thank you, Tim. Unfortunately, I don not have any books of both zoso and searchings in in the web were unseccessful...but I guess, also the Hippo house at Artis was opened before 1900.

The first hippo house in Artis was in use as hippo accomodation from 1868 u/t 1963

lintworm said:

The first hippo house in Artis was in use as hippo accomodation from 1868 u/t 1963

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But there were hippos in Amsterdam Zoo in 1860; where were they housed between 1860 and 1868?

Tim May said:

But there were hippos in Amsterdam Zoo in 1860; where were they housed between 1860 and 1868?

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The article only mentions that they made some temporary accomodation, in which they were kept until 1868.