"SAD BEREAVEMENT!"

Marlborough Express, Volume LX, Issue 231, 30 September 1926, Page 5

"SAD BEREAVEMENT!"

Z00 PLUNGED INTO GL00M DEATH OF BABY HIPPO. KILLHD BY ITS SAVAGE FATHER.

(By Telegraph-

— Own Correspondent.)

AUCKLAND, Sept. 30. The Zoo was plunged in gloom yesterday morning, when it was learned tha-t thc baby hippopotamus born ©arly on Tuesday, had been killed by its apparently proud father. Its an-ival had marked the first occasion on which a hippo had been born in New Zealand, and the staff of the Zoo was very proud of the littlo newcomer, which weighed 701bs at birth. The father and mother, who la-nswer to the name of Chaka and Bella respectively, wero very proud of their baby 011 Tuesday. As is thie way with some pareiits, Chaka (tried to apipear unconcerned, and left it to his spouse to take the active interest in he young one. Ho didn't appear at all jealous, and there was no breach of the harmonious relations that h-ave existed between him and his mate since they were plaeed together. The eonduct of the twd ,adult animals was carefully observed, and it was thought that there was no danger in leaving the baby in the siame enclosure. Another reason that made this course appear quite safe was that the enclosure for hippopo-ta-mi is part icul ari y fine, having the reputation of being one of the most commodious in any Zoo- in the world. Mr L. T. Griffin, the curator of the Zoo, said that it is large eno-ugh for a small herd of animals. Every precaution wa-s taken to see that the newcomer would be well provided for. The night watchman, who m-akes liourly r-ounds of the various cages and enclosures, was instructed to pay it special a-ttention. When he made his visit at four o'clock nothing was amiss. However, shortly after ffve o'clock the baby was missing. He accordingly gave the alarm, and the hody of the baby was found under that of its sleeping father in the big pond. It had been severely bit-ten several times. The large tusks o-f the father had ipenetrated the body and death had evidently been instantaneous. Mr Griffin said it was a most unfoitunate loss, and also a most un-usu-al oue. There had been casds of female hippopotami smothering their -y-oung by lying 011 them in the water, but cases of savaging by the male were very rare. "Hippopotami live together in herds," said Mr Griffin, "and they are generally very sociable. Why'i the babies are frequently seeri riding on the backs o-f the big bulls. As the pa-rents at the Zoo were very affectionat© and most successfully acclimatised, the who-le affair is unthinkable and most disappointing. What had evidently ha-ppened was that the mother ha-d left her first-b-orn early in tlie morning, and with the inherent euriosity of youth he tiad decided to visit his father in the water. Ohaka was evidently annoyed to find something aro-und his feet or a-ttempting to grip the loose folds of iskin 011 his body, and I10 turned his massiv© head and bit the baby by way of admonition." Mr Griffin attributed the attack purelv to a sudden fit of temper. Although the accident was most untoward, steps would be taken to guard against any repetition when next an addition to the family iva.^ -expected, pr-o-bably in about a year. The father would be kept in a se-parate enclosure before the happy event and also for some time after-wa-rds. As bo-th Chaka and Bella Were young and living very peacefully t-ogetiier there was every prospect of frequent additions to- the family within the- next few years. It is interesting to- note that the birth notiee of another baby hippo is publisbed in a London paper that has just arrived. This was the fiirst time a hippo had been born at Lon--do-n Zoo for 50 yea-rs. Only one man in the Zo-o had seen the new larrival and that was tlie keepe-r. Non-e of the officials wasj allowed to go near, and even daddy had not seen his new s-on. This is the course that will be adopted when the second baby arrives at the Auckland Zoo. Apart from the loss o-f a most interesting exhibit from the public point of view, Chaka has robbed the City Council of a most valuable animal. Hippopotami are now becoming very scarce, and a good sp-eei-men i-s worth over £500 the baby showed every sign of becoming a fine, healthy animal, -and he was wortli easilv £300 to the Zoo authorities. HoAvever it was a loss of interest rather than of capital. The p-arents on Tuesday were very subdued. Bella lay in the pond complete-ly subnxerged, occasionally naising a mournful snout to- take in air. Chaka-, evidently repenting of his raish act, lay alongside her with this head across her broad back. They were a picture of abjeet misery.