Runaway Hippo Captured
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South Africa's elusive hippo finally captured
Thu Dec 9,12:46 PM ET
JOHANNESBURG (AFP) - It took six darts and a three-and-half hour chase in swamplands outside of Cape Town but wildlife officials finally caught an elusive male hippo which has been on the run since February.
AFP/File Photo
The 800 kilogramme (1760 pound) hippo, only known as "Calf 2002" escaped from the Rondevlei reserve outside the city "sometime in February" after vandals tore down fencing when they stole an excavator.
In September, Cape Town went on high alert when the two-year-old calf wandered near near Zeekoevlei, a major recreational area -- which ironically in Dutch means "hippopotamus marsh", named by the first settlers to the Cape in the 17th century.
Reserve manager Dalton Gibbs on Thursday said however wildlife officials finally caught up with the animal, capturing it in Zeekoevlei's deep water after darting it six times.
"It went off chaotically, but extremely well. We have learnt a lot about hippo behaviour in very difficult and unusual circumstances," said Gibbs.
"Considering that hippos are only caught passively on land, this capture operation in water was a challenge," Gibbs told the SAPA news agency.
The aquatic mammal was recovering from the effects of the drugs and would probably be taken to the Eastern Cape province because of a power struggle with the reserve's dominant male hippo.
After being hunted into extinction in South Africa's Western Cape about 200 years ago, hippos were first re-introduced to Cape Town at the Rondevlei reserve in 1981.
This was the first escape reported from there.
(source: Yahoo News) -
isn't that Inno?
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give me freedom
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Freedom? Can buy in NTUC FairPrice.Originally posted by InnoHippo:give me freedom 
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Originally posted by DeadPoet:Freedom? Can buy in NTUC FairPrice.
ok .... will donate "freedom" to you after use -
Will used it to cook satay sauce.Originally posted by InnoHippo:
ok .... will donated "freedom" to you after use -
what Freedom? Diapers?
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wah...then i must use my link card to get rebate liao....Originally posted by DeadPoet:Freedom? Can buy in NTUC FairPrice. 
btw...how much a kg huh? -
nope .... banana wrappers lahOriginally posted by laurence82:what Freedom? Diapers? -
i think you're grossly overweight
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got wing boh? can fly or not huh?Originally posted by InnoHippo:nope .... banana wrappers lah -
not sold in kilos one lah ....Originally posted by Mospeada:wah...then i must use my link card to get rebate liao....
btw...how much a kg huh?
it is sold in tonnes -
Originally posted by Mospeada:got wing boh? can fly or not huh?
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Originally posted by sillyme:i think you're grossly overweight hippo needs to go on diet?
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No!!!! Don't do that!!!! Skinny Hippo not cute.Originally posted by InnoHippo: hippo needs to go on diet? -
it can fly with MOSquitoOriginally posted by Mospeada:got wing boh? can fly or not huh? -
800kg leh.. retired superhero doesn't mean can slackOriginally posted by InnoHippo: hippo needs to go on diet? 
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hehehe 1st thot InnoHippo
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but that is what happens in Incredibles u knowOriginally posted by sillyme:800kg leh.. retired superhero doesn't mean can slack -
ya .... and caught at the customs some moreOriginally posted by BabyLover:hehehe 1st thot InnoHippo -
what did u try to bring in? hehehheOriginally posted by InnoHippo:ya .... and caught at the customs some more -
"Freedom"Originally posted by Mospeada:what did u try to bring in? hehehhe