Mix Species Exhibits with Elephants and Hippos

Copenhagen Zoo can be added to the list of zoos mixing Nile Hippo with other species. The hippos are held in a small part of the 15 000 sq meter big savannah and cannot go outside this area, but all the other animals (except the white rhinos) can go into the hippo area. The "fencing" consists of big tree stumps mounted vertically with enough distance between them for zebras etc to pass them, but not wide enough for the hippos.

In June an accident occurred: An ostrich was badly bitten by one of the hippos and had to be put down.

The animals with access to the hippo area are: zebra, ostrich, wilderbeest, impala, blesbock, giraffe, sable antelope and possibly some other species that I don´t remember right now.

(In the same way, all animals except the hippos can go into the rhino area but the rhinos are confined there.)
 
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Lowry park zoo mixes their elephants with Kenyan impala, Thompsons gazelle and Kenyan crested guinea fowl. According to ISIS there are 4 impala, 2 gazelle, 16 guinea fowl along with 5 African elephants. This appears to be correct because the last time I visited I saw at least 3 impala and 1 gazelle. I also saw a flock of guinea fowl in the enclosure but they could have the run of all the savannah exhibits (giraffe, elephant and rhino). Lowry also had an impala born at the zoo recently. The impala and gazelle have a block off area of the exhibit that the elephants cannot get to which is also partially covered by a large tree. On my last visit I saw an impala and gazelle in the main exhibit with one of the elephants. I will post a picture I took of an impala, gazelle and an elephant all visible in the same yard.
 
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Wouldn't it be great to see more zoos doing this. I can think of one where it might happen soon...
 
Perhaps if Henry Doorly Zoo really does create an exhibit with an underwater view of a deep elephant pool, they should have something in that pool for all the times there are no elephants in it...perhaps cichlids or similar lake fish? Or if they really went out on a limb, perhaps manatees or dugongs, which may be their closest relatives? That would be a trip!
 
I agree that it would be cool for Omaha to have another species in the with elephants especially if it is going to be as big as they have stated, 10-12 acres. So to bring this thread full circle, I propose: Nile Hippos. A hippo/elephant mix would be really neat and I don't think its impossible. They would need at least 2 pools though so the two species wouldn't have any aggression towards each other over 1 pool.
 
It would be a cool idea. I doubt that it has ever been tried before. But, if it doesn't work out, the zoo will have a lot of problems unless it is designed with a fail safe.
 
If they built a multi-yard exhibit, taking in consideration that one of the yards may be needed for the hippos, I don't see why it couldn't be tried. If it worked out, the other yard could be used for other elephants or another species(rhinos, cape buffalo or other hoofstock). It would make for one hell of an exhibit.

I would love to see cape buffalo mixed with elephants in an American zoo. Boras zoo has done it for years so we know it as at least possible.
 
Not to be devil's advocate - but has anyone considered the reality of an underwater viewing pool for elephants? I highly doubt the water would be clear enough to even see past a few feet into the tank. And for those who don't know - elephant LOVE to poop in their pools. The counter-argument is obviously most hippo exhibits have underwater viewing but there generally isn't a herd of hippos on exhibit (San Diego has two) and hippos dont defecate as much as elephants. The filtration system would have to be massive and would be very costly to maintain. I just don't think it would be worth it unless there was another species.
 
ColumbusZoo001 said:
Not to be devil's advocate - but has anyone considered the reality of an underwater viewing pool for elephants? I highly doubt the water would be clear enough to even see past a few feet into the tank. And for those who don't know - elephant LOVE to poop in their pools. The counter-argument is obviously most hippo exhibits have underwater viewing but there generally isn't a herd of hippos on exhibit (San Diego has two) and hippos dont defecate as much as elephants. The filtration system would have to be massive and would be very costly to maintain. I just don't think it would be worth it unless there was another species.
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I think the viewing would be good, it would just need a big filtration system like you said, and Omaha could most likely afford it

I've ssen pictures of the elephant under water viewing in the Leizpig Gallery and the water quality was not affected by the elephants
 
Zoogoer2000 said:
I think the viewing would be good, it would just need a big filtration system like you said, and Omaha could most likely afford it

I've ssen pictures of the elephant under water viewing in the Leizpig Gallery and the water quality was not affected by the elephants
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Actually the elephants in Leipzig are only visible for about 30 seconds after they enter the pool. It then clouds up so much nothing can be seen (it's still amazing, by the way, but only for a few people who are there for the moment). The cloudiness is caused not by dung but by all the soil and sand on the elephant that is released as they enter the water.
 
Would there also be an issue with elephants that have tusks scratching the acrylic surface of the underwater viewing windows?
 
Tim May said:
Some forty years ago, there was a notorious hippopotamus, ‘Hercules’ at Belle Vue Zoo (Manchester) who killed and partially ate both a Malayan tapir and a pigmy hippopotamus. He also consumed several flamingoes and various other birds.
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Dou you have a source for that Information ?
 
Tim May said:
Some forty years ago, there was a notorious hippopotamus, ‘Hercules’ at Belle Vue Zoo (Manchester) who killed and partially ate both a Malayan tapir and a pigmy hippopotamus. He also consumed several flamingoes and various other birds.
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Bib Fortuna said:
Dou you have a source for that Information ?
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Yes, the exploits of ‘Hercules’ have been documented in, for example,
“A Survey of the Hippopotamus in Captivity in the British Isles” (John Frost; 1996).
 
At the Jerusalem zoo - they have one mixed exhibit with common hippo, white rhino, giraffe, zebra, and ostrich. No barriers, and they all share a rather large watering hole. Definitely worth a visit if one finds themselves in this part of the world.
 
Birmingham is experimenting with mixing the 4 bull elephant, 1 male hippo, and white rhino trio on the main exhibit space.
 
I have seen hippos with tilapia at San Diego, but that is as far as it goes.
These combinations would be good for fantasy zoos/safari parks
Asian elephant- blackbuck, nilgai and chital
African savanna elephant- impala, Masai giraffe, and ostrich
African forest elephant- bongo, red river hog, and black duiker
Nile hippo- Patas monkey, olive baboon, or vervet monkey (a large enclosure with lots of space for both)
Pygmy hippo- blue duiker, bongo, red river hog, possibly mandrill....
 
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