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Safari park's new hippos 'are a dream come true'

Bea Swallow
BBC News, West of England
Longleat A close up image showing the two new hippos that have arrived at Longleat. The one in the foreground is looking at the camera while the other one looks off to the right.Longleat
The mother and son duo will form part of a self-sustaining family group

A safari park has welcomed two hippos into their new home as part of its "commitment to conservation".

Mother and son duo, Lola and Hodor, settled into their new enclosure at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire, alongside Matylda and Manon from the Czech Republic.

The four hippos are housed in a state-of-the-art complex designed to have capacity for any resulting offspring, creating a self-sustaining family group known as a bloat.

Staff say their arrival is "vital" for the conservation breeding programme for this vulnerable species, although it is too early to say when breeding may occur.

Longleat A close-up image showing a hippo swimming through water, with its eyes and nose poking above the surface. Longleat
Hippos are considered vulnerable endangered species as their population has severely declined over the past two decades

Their arrival follows the deaths of Sonia and Spot, who had lived in Half Mile Pond for more than 40 years.

Lola, 21, and her son Hodor, eight, were born at Whipsnade Zoo near Dunstable.

Their keepers revealed their favourite food was cabbage, which Longleat staff say will "be a staple of their Wiltshire diet".

Longleat A large hippo walking out of a penned enclosure with metal gates and looking at the camera. Behind it there is another hippo, eating from a pile of food on the ground.Longleat
When it began in 1966 Longleat was the first safari park to open outside of Africa

Darren Beasley, head of animal operations, said it was "amazing" to see the semi-aquatic animals back at Longleat.

"We will be spending the coming days letting them settle in, giving them time to get to know the keepers and slowly introducing them to each other," he said.

"We hope in time to have offspring which will be a huge boost to the international breeding programme, and vital for the protection of the species which aims to stop the move towards endangerment."

'Dream come true'

Guests will be able to spot the hippos in their enclosure from the Jungle Cruise, which offers trips across Half Mile Pond.

Simon Askew, chief operating officer, said: "We have said from the outset that our plans for introducing hippos has been part of our commitment to conservation, sustainability and education.

"Today has seen a dream become reality.

"It is an exciting time for Longleat and for our guests, who may start to spot the hippos in their paddock over the coming days."

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