It's the hippo hippo shake! Baby hippo becomes unlikely zoo starlet after amazing visitors with hilarious underwater routines

By Daily Mail Reporter


Helpful nudge: Adhama is pushed along by his mother Funani while swimming at San Diego Zoo


They may not be creatures known for their agility and grace, but baby hippo Adhama looks like he enjoys doing things his own way.

The adorable creature has become a crowd-pleasing hit at San Diego Zoo thanks to his upside-down underwater japes.

The seven-month-old calf twists and turns in his underwater home while showing off an enviable array of flips and spins.

Look at me! Adhama shows off her underwater agility during her amazing routine

Spinning around: With a little help from mum, Adhama carries on her upside-down antics

Underwater fun: Adhama has become 'more independent' in recent months according to staff at the zoo


His exploits are all carried out under the surface under the watchful eye of his mother Funani.

Adhama's hilarious dance moves and pirouettes have even seen watching visitors compare him to the ballet-dancing hippos in Disney's Fantasia.

The animated film sees tutu-wearing hippos spinning around a fountain, in a sequence which has been replicated in parts at San Diego Zoo.

Matt Akel, Animal care supervisor at the zoo, said Adhama - born weighing 100 pounds in January - has become more independent as he grows up.

He said: 'It's interesting that Adhama's personality has definitely blossomed. He's playing around with his mum and mouthing his mum.

Taking a breather: Adhama plays above the surface with his mother during a break in one of his exhausting routines

Inspiration? Many visitors have compared Adhama's exploits to the hippo dancing scene from Disney's Fantasia


'You see her push him around, but she's just playing. You see him stand up on the rock to take a breath, spin sideways and tumble in the water.

'He's interesting to watch and we tend to get really big crowds.'

YouTube footage of Adhama's exploits has already made the young hippo an internet star after generating tens of thousands of hits.




source:dailymail

Rookie zookeeper quits after poisoning two giraffes, killing one

By Rachel Quigley


Poisoned: Watoto died after being fed toxic leaves from a rookie zookeeper who then quit in the wake of the male giraffe's death


A zoo official who was responsible for poisoning two giraffes, killing one, has resigned.

The unidentified apprentice at Reid Park Zoo, Tucson, accidentally mixed up the plants and gave the giraffes leaves from a deadly plant.

He was said to be 'horrified and devastated' by his mistake.

Poisoned: Female giraffe Denver was also fed the toxic leaves and is currently recovering

Scene: Reid Park Zoo in Tucson said they are putting things in place to ensure this does not happen again


Zoo officials told 9 On Your Side the apprentice accidentally mixed in the leaves of an Oleander plant with leaves from other plants and fed them to the giraffes.

Oleander can be deadly if eaten by animals.

Watoto, the zoo's only male giraffe, died July 19 after eating the toxic leaves.

The Oleander was put into two of the four giraffe stalls on Monday night.

Jim Schnormeier, the head curator at the zoo, said the next morning, Watoto acted very unusually.

He said: 'He was lethargic. He was laying down and very seldom do you see a giraffe lay down, his appetite wasn't there.

'Our philosophy is if you don't know what it is, you don't feed it. Our focus right now is trying to get our giraffe better after this crisis.'

Unscathed: The two other giraffes at Reid Park Zoo did not eat the toxic leaves and are doing fine


Zoo administrator Susan Basford said: 'We have apprentices here at the zoo and that person was not as experienced. It was mistake compounded by mistake and it's horrible.'

The apprentice was said to be part of a 12-month programme run by the zoological society and was due to run out in September.

Zoo officials said it was his own decision to resign but they did not tryu to talk him out of it.

They said he was studying to become a zoo keeper and is distraught about what happened.

Nancy Schlegel of the Zoological Society said: 'It's hard to see a young person having to go through that as well as the tragedy that all of us are feeling.'

The other giraffe, Denver, who ate the toxic leaves is said to be improving.



source:dailymail

Is this the world's worst zoo? Shirley the orangutan allowed to becomes a chain-smoker by heartless attendants

By Daily Mail Reporter


-Crocodiles live in waterless enclosures and big cats live in tiny cages in Malaysian animal park

Puffed out: Shirley the chain-smoking orangutan is typical of the horrors to be found in Malaysian zoos


A trip to the zoo should fill any animal fan with a sense of joy wonder, but in Malaysia the experience inspires revulsion.

Crocodiles struggle in waterless enclosures while lions and tigers are trapped in boxes barely big enough to house them, leaving no room to roam around.

But worst of all is the plight of Shirley, a 25-year-old orangutan, who competes with cage-mate Abu for cigarette butts thrown by tourists to satisfy her smoking habit.

Hungry: Shirley spends her days tearing apart drinks cans and food wrappers thrown by tourists as she searches for more food and drink


The government-run zoo in in Johor Baru has erected a 'no smoking' sign but that will do precious little to stop the sad practice while attendants turn their backs on it.

Shirley spends much of her sad existence tearing apart drinks cans and chewing on food wrappers thrown at her by visitors.

She regularly reaches through the bars of her cage to beg for cigarettes.

Attempts by the Malaysian government's wildlife ministry Perhilitan to clamp-down on the appalling conditions in the country's zoos, rated among the worst in the world, have been virtually ignored.

Last October a new law was passed that gave the zoos six moths to clean up their act but when the June deadline passes there will have been shamefully little progress made.

Ten zoos in the country were investigated last week and animals were still found living in tiny, dirty enclosures, sometimes without water for drinking or swimming.

No room: This tiger is kept in an enclosure that affords barely any room for exercise

Indifference: Zoos in Malaysia were given six months to clean up their acts in October but when the June deadline passes precious little progress will have been made


Some animals were being made to perform, despite the practise being banned, but worst of all was the example of one zoo that had been obtaining its animals on the black market.

Non-profit British charity Nature Alert has worked hard to prick the conscience of the Malaysian government but with obvious indifference to the new regulations, it says the time has come to focus international attention on a problem for which a wealthy country has no excuse.

'The government makes promise after promise. They never keep any of them, but I will hold their feet to the fire until they do,' Sean Whyte of Nature Alert told The Mirror.

'I can understand different cultures, but this is purely people exploiting wildlife for financial gain illegally. Malaysia is a hub for the illegal trade in animals.

Those orangutans have been in zoos approved of by the government.

'I advise anyone visiting Malaysia to stay away from zoos – or risk becoming deeply upset at what they see.'

Not up to standard: The entrance to Johor Baru zoo in Malaysia where Shirley has been allowed to cultivate a smoking habit and animals are kept in appalling conditions

Ignores regulations: Some of the animals at Johor Baru zoo are made to perform for visitors despite that being outlawed


source:dailymail