Baby Hippo Orphan Finds a Friend By Catherine Clarke Fox National Geographic News March 04, 2005 Have you noticed that sometimes the most unlikely pairs form the best friendships? Last December, flood waters in the East African country of Kenya swept a herd of hippopotamuses down the Sabaki River and into the Indian Ocean. (see map) http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/atlas/index.html?Parent=africa&Rootmap=kenya After a few days, most of them struggled to shore and returned inland. Then, right after the Asian tsunami hit on December 26, local people spotted a baby hippo in the rough surf, apparently left behind by the herd. They were worried. Hippos live around fresh water, and the people figured the salt water wasn't good for the little fellow. Besides, he had no mother to look out for him. After hours of effort they caught the big (about 600 pounds) baby. They named him Owen after one of his rescuers. Wildlife officials took Owen the hippo to the safety of Haller Park, a sanctuary for wild animals in the port city of Mombasa. Owen, about a year old, trotted right up to a giant gray tortoise. Tortoises are among the longest-living creatures on Earth. This one's name is Mzee, which means "old man" in the Swahili language. He is more than a hundred years old. "Mzee hissed, lifted himself up off the ground, and tried to run," reported Paula Kahumbu, an ecologist in charge of Haller Park. "But by the next morning, they were together!" They have been together ever since, staying close and touching when asleep. Owen could weigh more than 6,000 pounds when he is grown. Eventually he will be introduced to Cleo, an adult hippo, to be with his own kind. But Kahumbu said Owen and Mzee will still spend time together if they wish. Check out the Lafarge Eco Systems Web site. http://www.lafargeecosystems.com/main/index.php http://www.lafargeecosystems.com/blog/index.php First Post has link to download an e-book "History of Owen and Mzee"