WORLD> Africa
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WORLD> Africa
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South Africa seeks homes for stray hippos
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-03-03 10:19 CAPE TOWN – South African environmental authorities are looking for homes for hippos, putting out a plea Monday for people to offer their premises to a hippopatamus that has moved into a water treatment plant.
A hippopotamus from the Rondevlei Nature Reserve outside Cape Town escaped and took up residence in the sewerage waterworks of the sprawling Cape Flats area. Nicknamed Zorro, the hippo is being confined at the waterworks until a suitable home is found. "However, as the Rondevlei female hippos have a calf every two years, there is a strong likelihood that, in the near future, the city will have to find a new home for another young calf," park manager Penny Glanville said. "The Fauna Management Committee is accordingly looking for more homes for hippos," she added in a statement. She said many private reserves were being established in the area that could be supplied with hippo, one of the largest mammals. The semi-aquatic animals are known to be extremely violent, can run faster than a human on land, and often attack people. The reserve said potential hippo hosts would have to produce a management plan and allow the premises to be inspected.
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