Orphaned Baby Hippo Hand-Reared at Kenya Wildlife Sanctuary

A baby hippo found clinging to its dead mother at a lake in Kenya over the weekend is now being hand-reared at a wildlife sanctuary. The calf, named Bumpy, was just days old when it became orphaned. The Kenya Wildlife Service rescued the calf and handed it over to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust for specialized care.

Officials said the mother may have died from natural causes. Rescuers described retrieving the calf from the water as a logistical challenge because it remained close to the body. They made the decision to use the decomposing body as the only anchor to reach the calf safely.

The mother had been dead for more than a day based on the level of decomposition.

Care at the Sanctuary After the rescue, the baby hippo spent its first night at a nursery in Nairobi. It was fed milk and swaddled in a blanket. The calf was later flown by helicopter to the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust's Kaluku sanctuary near Tsavo East National Park.

At the sanctuary Bumpy spends much of the day submerged in a pool near the Athi River. A keeper remains by his side in the water or on the ground throughout the day. The hippo is described as a snuggly creature that is happiest when nestled on or against someone.

Bumpy has joined another young hippo nearly a year old at the sanctuary, though the two are kept in separate areas. Both animals are expected to be released into the wild when they reach maturity. In the wild, a hippo calf typically nurses for up to a year or more and remains closely attached to its mother until around sexual maturity.

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, founded in 1977, is known for its work rescuing and reintegrating orphaned elephants and rhinos into the wild. The organization is now applying similar care protocols to the orphaned hippo.