3-047-110 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The young hippopotamus and dam, at the Zoological Society's Garden, 1872. 'The birth of a son and heir to "Madame Hippo," in the Regent's Park gardens of the Zoological Society, has been a theme of pleasantry during the last four weeks, this event having taken place on the 5th November [ie Fireworks Night], which led the managers to give young hippo the name of "Guy Fawkes." The dam has brought forth two other cubs or calves, but they could not be taught to suck, and so they died, in spite of an attempt to feed them with goats' milk. This young animal, which thrives well, is 4 ft. or 5 ft. long, and above 2 ft. high, weighing more than 2 cwt. Its back and legs are slate-coloured, but the belly has a pinkish or fleshy tinge. The superintendent of the gardens, Mr. Bartlett, who watches over mother and child with the most constant and intelligent care, has prepared a wholesome kind of pap, which the young one seems to relish, but it has taken kindly to the maternal source of nourishment'. Adhela gave birth to Guy Fawkes (subsequently discovered to be a female), who was fathered by Obaysch. She became the first captive-bred hippo to be reared by its mother. She survived until 1908. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.