Hippo Happenings

(Published Winter 1998)
By Karen Paolillo

Two years have passed since I last wrote about the Turgwe Hippos. Another 5 calves have been born, with a total of 28 hippos now back in the Turgwe River. The Turgwe Hippo Trust was formed after the horrific drought of 1992. More people are hearing about us through our "Foster a Hippo" project and learning about the hippos and their needs. The Trust, with help and support, is continuing to build safeguards against the worst scenario of another severe drought.

Thanks to Ron Crittall, a journalist, an article in Air Zimbabwe's InFlight Magazine, resulted in two new boreholes for the hippos. A young British girl, Anita Bulusu, who read an article I had written for Care for the Wild News Magazine, gave us more help. She organised a chamber music concert at her school in Middlesex, raising sufficient funds to pay for 60% of the PVC piping needed to attach the CFTWI 1992 emergency pan as well as the Summerlee Foundation of USA pan, built in 1995/96 to one of these two new boreholes.

CFTWI then once again came to the hippos rescue by supplying the money required to buy a pump for the borehole. Just one week ago, an American lady, Sherri Williamson gave a fantastic donation allowing us to purchase a diesel generator. By September, the two pans will have permanent water pumping into them. Our immediate plans for the future involve building weirs in rivers that dry up, during the normal dry season, thus creating new habitat for the slowly increasing number of hippos.

In the meantime, I continue to share my life on a daily basis with these magnificent animals. As well as studying the behaviour of the hippos, I take safari people to meet the one group. This group is headed by a large male called Bob.

Over the years, the hippos have come to know me. With time I realized that their reactions toward me improved if I spoke to them in a gentle reassuring voice. Initially they feared man, acting accordingly with either aggression or fear. As with any animal that fears us, even a domestic animal like a horse or a dog, I have always found it best to speak reassuringly and calmly. This had a definite positive result. In the case of the hippos, they have reason to fear man, because back in the early 80's they were "sport"- hunted.

To watch these animals naturally in their own habitat is an honour I do not take lightly.

Hippos normally live in extended family groups, as in Bob's family. Blackface is the grandmother of Rain and Storm.

In Happy's extended family (16 hippos at present) live Wish and her mature daughter Abe, and their 5 offspring. Male calves, of which at present there are only two, appear to receive more protection and maternal attention than their sisters.

Tembia, in Bob's family is a special hippo in his own right. First pictured at six weeks of age in Care for the Wild News magazine 1993, he was conceived during the time I fed his mother Lace, back in the drought of 1992. She weaned him in 1995, giving birth to a new calf a couple of months later. Sadly the Turgwe River had a very unusual late season flood, during which the new calf disappeared. It may have been taken by a crocodile, but it is more likely that it was swept away in the wildly rushing waters.

After the loss of her calf, Lace still had a huge full udder. Much to my utter amazement, 5 days later Tembia returned to suckling his mother's milk! Unbelievably this continued for a further 18 months, with Tembia already taller than his mother, as well as having relatively large teeth!

Lace showers upon Tembia all of the normal maternal love, protecting him as if he was a little fellow. This has had some adverse effects, which I fervently hope will sort themselves out. Tembia is 5 years old now but still sticks to his mothers side, as if he was much younger. Lace in turn, protects him against his father's wrath.

Tembia is fully aware of his male status, showing interest in the females in the group. Normally he would leave the family this year or next season, or remain totally submissive towards his father, the territorial bull known as Bob. Due to Lace's somewhat overprotective stance, every time Bob tries to discipline his son against interest in the females, Lace attacks Bob. She though, comes out the worse for wear, for Bob weighs in at around 2 and a half tons, against Lace's possible one and a half ton frame. The scenario at present is that poor Lace has had many cuts inflicted upon her hide, with several long wounds on her stomach, hindquarters and a couple of cuts upon her head. Of all of the Turgwe hippos, her hide most resembles the more beaten up hippos which live in more density populations, whilst "big" smug Tembia has but one cut or two!

Lace's instinct to remain with the family keeps her in Bob's vicinity, but she pays the price for her maternal protective nature towards Tembia. Fortunately for Lace, no wound has proved life-threatening. Every now and then, Lace and Tembia move away for a week or two, after a beating from Bob gets too out of hand. A week or two later they both return.

What the outcome of all of this will be is anybodies guess. She should have a new calf, but when that occurs Tembia will have to move away from his mother's side. As well as act far more submissively towards Bob, his own father.

Our youngest calf here at this moment in time is little Brucie, who is the daughter of Bob and Blackface, born on 25th April 1998

. The Save Valley Conservancy where these Turgwe Hippos live, was formed in 1992. The area had proved unsuitable for ranching, so 21 land-owners decided to concentrate on wildlife. They took down their cattle fences, allowing wildlife to roam over the entire one million acres.

Since the distant past, this area has proved totally unsuitable for crops or any form of commercial or communal farming. It is drought prone, with water shortage a major problem. However wildlife tourism related industries is the only way of bringing in money into the pockets of the general population.

Sadly, politics have reared their ugly head in this area. Three properties in this Conservancy are under government designation, which means they could be taken from their owners. If they change ownership, this could have a dire effect upon the hippo's future, as well as hundreds of other wild animals. The three properties in question hold all of the work we have completed to date for the hippos, as well as all of their riverine habitat, and three quarters of their night-time grazing areas.

We can only hope that tourism's proven record will allow it to win out over other land-use options. On a natural level, the land can sustain wildlife but not domestic stock, so we all pray fervently that our government will realise the benefit of wildlife in this area for the people and the Country's prosperity.

In the meantime, I continue to work for these wonderful animals, with every day that passes I learn more about a hippo's life. To foster a hippo, please contact: Karen Paolillo, Turgwe Hippo Trust. Hippo Haven, P.O Box 322, Chiredzi, Zimbabwe. Email: paolillo@mutare.icon.co.zw.