This is an interesting Common Hippo exhibit because it's not even large enough to be a behind-the-scenes holding area. The enclosure is absolutely puny.
It always fascinates me how, despite the high HDI and GDP, Japan has an extreme lack of modern and humane zoos. The only ones I can think of off the top of my head are Zoorasia and maybe Tama, but it's extremely strange how a country that seems to rank at the top of the world in almost all other indices still has a majority of zoos looking like this.
@snowleopard Yes, it was quite distressing to see. She had just enough space in the pool to fully submerge and do a tight circle. It was very clean, but there must be a smaller aquatic species it might be more appropriate for.
