Cape Town -
The City of Cape Town has warned people not to approach the two-year-old hippo that wandered from Rondevlei into the Zeekoevlei water earlier this week.
City spokeswoman Kylie Hatton said the hippo, which was last spotted on Monday, had moved out of Rondevlei and into the Strandfontein birding area before making its way to Zeekoevlei.
She said a 300m section of fencing had been stolen from the False Bay Nature Reserve.
“A female hippopotamus from Rondevlei that had recently given birth at the small wetlands to the south of Zeekoevlei moved out of the fenced area into a disused pan of the Strandfontein birding area with her young calf,” Hatton said.
“An older calf was following the cow at the time and joined her in the pans.
“It is normal behaviour for pregnant cows to separate from the main pod to give birth, and other offspring often stay close to their mother for some time after weaning.
“These animals were closely monitored by the False Bay Nature Reserve’s conservation staff. It was noted that the cow and younger calf moved back into Rondevlei within a week. However, the older calf remained behind in the pans.”
Hatton said the city was using a “passive capture technique” by creating funnel gaps in the reserve fence to help the animal find a way back into Rondevlei.
Hippos were naturally shy and would avoid human contact but people should not approach it as this would hinder its movement, she said.
“This could lead to dangerous encounters and may potentially prolong the capture operation by influencing the animal’s behaviour.
“Motorists in the area of Zeekoevlei should be cautious, as this animal may leave the vlei at night.”
Anyone who spots the hippo should call 021 396 4281 during office hours or 083 499 1717 after hours.
* In 2009 a hippo, later nicknamed Zorro, escaped from the Rondevlei Nature Reserve after being attacked and forced out of the reserve by his father.
Zorro stayed in the Strandfontein sewerage works for 18 months before being captured and taken to the Fairy Glen Reserve in Worcester. Zorro died in 2010 after being attacked by a white rhino bull at the reserve.
Cape Argus