Happy The Hippo Seeks Female Companionship

WASHINGTON — Happy the hippo could soon be a lot happier.

The National Zoo's solitary male Nile hippopotamus is heading to the Milwaukee County Zoo, where his new home will include a pool, a sandy beach and two potential girlfriends, Puddles and Patty.

Zoo officials say they're sad to see Happy go, but that Milwaukee will offer him a great life.

Happy is 28 and weighs about 5,500 pounds. He has to leave the National Zoo because his home is being eliminated for the expansion of the zoo's elephant exhibit.

The Milwaukee zoo, meanwhile, is beginning a roughly $10 million expansion of its hippopotamus exhibit, part of which will allow visitors to watch hippos swimming underwater.

Happy is expected to move to Milwaukee this summer.

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Information from: The Washington Post, http://www.washingtonpost.com

(This version CORRECTS Happy's age to 28 and his weight to 5,500 pounds based on more recent estimates.)

Comments

[rocketman69]

03:18 AM on 05/01/2009

Such a large grass eating animal is sure to pollute our air with methane and should be euthanized immediately.

[Thomas Murphy]

10:56 PM on 04/30/2009

These are beautiful creatures, and might be worth moving to, or visiting Milwaukee to see. 5500 POUNDS! Terrific. His name is Happy....