#OddlyAnimal: These Guys Are An Absolute Riot!

 

Puppy Love Strikes Famous Hippo

Love is an all-consuming thing and even hippos are not spared by it, says a report.

It might only be puppy love, but the US city of Cincinnati’s famed hippo Fiona has her first public suitor, according to an Associated Press report.

A two-year-old hippopotamus named Timothy at the zoo in San Antonio has launched his courtship via social media. Posts declared her the “most beautiful hippo” he’s ever seen and wonder if they can be “boyfriend and girlfriend” someday.

Fiona’s only a year old, and her Cincinnati Zoo handlers have a lot of questions before she will date (breeding age is five.) One is about genetic compatibility. And could Timothy get used to all the attention surrounding the hippo that became an internet sensation through zoo-posted updates of her progress from her premature birth?

Also, is he willing to move to Ohio? But they’re telling him there’s a chance: “Fiona thinks you’re cute, too.”

A Purr Patrol For Police Department

A sustained social media campaign has helped a police department add a furry member to its team, according to a report.

The suburban Detroit police department will get a police cat following a successful social media campaign. The Troy Police Department launched an initiative to reach 10,000 Twitter followers, with the incentive of adding a furry feline to their team, says an AP report.

The department had just over 4,000 followers when the campaign began. The #WeWantAPoliceCat movement took only eight days to reach the goal.

The department’s Twitter account drew followers through a slew of humorous tweets, beginning with a photo of a cat wearing sunglasses and a sheriff’s hat. The department announced it had reached the milestone with a post featuring an image

Gorilla Takes Stand Against Dirty Hands

Even gorillas love to keep themselves clean and they would go to any extent to do so, says a report.

A male gorilla at the Philadelphia Zoo is taking a stand against dirty hands by opting to walk on two legs. Apparently, 18-year-old Louis is a clean freak, says the AP report.

When Louis has his hands full of tomatoes or other snacks, he walks upright like a human to keep food and hands clean, rather than the typical gorilla stance of leaning forward on his knuckles.

The curator of primates and small mammals at the zoo says workers had to install a fire hose over a mud puddle in the yard. The nearly 276 kg, 6-foot-tall primate crosses it like a tight rope to avoid getting dirty.

A Big Baby For The Tall Giraffe

A giraffe gave birth to a baby in a US zoo – and it turned out to be huge, says a report.

The Santa Barbara Zoo’s Masai giraffe, Audrey, gave birth to a 6-foot-1-inch and weighs 81.6 kg, according to an AP report. A zoo official said it was a fast and smooth birth, and the female calf stood up and was nursing in only two hours.

A naming contest will allow the public to choose from the options of Amirah, Makena, Nugget and Quintin.

The zoo says there are about 37,000 Masai giraffes in Kenya and Tanzania, but they are at risk due to poaching and degradation and loss of habitat.

Fox Runs Away With Man’s Wallet

A clever fox stole a man’s wallet while he was filming the creature, reveals a report. In the footage, the cheeky fox is initially seen glaring at the camera tentatively, says a Daily Mirror report.

But as the man continued to film, the fox crept up, knelt to the floor where the man had placed his possessions, and grabbed his wallet in its mouth. The fox gained a lot more confidence as it escaped quickly and ran away with the stolen wallet.

A chase ensued but the man couldn’t retrieve his wallet. Luckily, the wallet was found the next morning.

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