The Hippopotamus and the Tortoise

The  Hippopotamus and the Tortoise


Much  of life can never be explained but only witnessed. 
 

NAIROBI (AFP) - A baby hippopotamus  that survived the 
tsunami  waves on the Kenyan coast has formed a strong 
bond  with a giant male century-old tortoise in an animal 
facility  in the port city o f Mombassa , officials said.
The hippopotamus,  nicknamed Owen and weighing about 
300  kilograms (650 pounds), was swept down Sabaki 
River  into the Indian Ocean, then forced back to shore 
when  tsunami waves struck the Kenyan coast on 
December  26, before wildlife rangers rescued him.  

'It  is incredible. A-less-than- a-year-old hippo has adopted a 
male  tortoise, about a century old, and the tortoise seems to 
be  very happy with being a 'mother',' ecologist Paula Kahumbu, 
who  is in charge of Lafarge Park , told AFP.    

'After  it was swept away and lost its mother, the hippo was traumatized. 
It  had to look for something to be a surrogate mother. 
Fortunately  , it landed on the tortoise and established a strong bond. 
They  swim, eat and sleep together,' the ecologist added. 
'The  hippo follows the tortoise exactly the way it followed its mother. 
If  somebody approaches the tort oise, the hippo becomes aggressive, 
as  if protecting its biological mother,' Kahumbu  added.   

'The  hippo is a young baby; he was left at a very tender age and 
by  nature, hippos are social animals that like to stay with their 
mothers  for four years,' he explained.     

 

'Life  is not measured by the number of breaths we take, 
but  by the moments that take our breath away.'  

This  is a real story that shows that our differences don't matter 
much  when we need the comfort of another. 
We  could all learn a lesson from these two creatures. 
'Look  beyond the differences and find a way to walk the path  together.'   

Save the  Earth.  It's the only planet with chocolate. 
'Those  who bring sunshine into the lives of others,

cannot keep it from  themselves.'

케냐 해안의 지진 쓰나미에 밀려 살아남은 애기하마와

100살이 넘은 늙은 거북이의 삶 :

우리 사람들에게 종족의 차이를 뛰어넘어서 함께 사는 방법을 찾으라는 교훈이....