This unusual friendship between a hippo and a turtle began in 2004. Owen had previously lived in Kenya with his family, but lost all his loved ones after the tsunami that happened then in the Indian Ocean. The animal was identified in Haller Park, one of the reserves in Kenya.
Although the hippo already at that time weighed a couple of hundred kilograms, he was very weak. Trying to attach him to some other family would be reckless : the males would not be able to accept the baby as a potential competitor.
But Owen, surprisingly found a new family himself — in the face of a 130-year-old turtle named Mzi. The latter didn’t immediately accept the young hippo, trying to avoid contact with him for a long time.
However, Owen turned out to be so stubborn. The giant tortoise finally gave up, and soon this unusual friendship became strong and famous all over the world.
A year later, the couple became best friends. They are almost always together.Sometimes staying in a pond, sometimes eating, sometimes just lying under a tree in leaves and grass.
The hippo eventually adopted the habits of the turtle. He not only sleeps at night, unlike other hippos, but also eats turtle food.
Perhaps this relationship would be better called the relationship of mother and son than friendship.
