The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo celebrated a milestone year for one of their hippopotamuses on Monday, as part of their annual ZooBoo Halloween event.
Birthday boy—and a big one at that—Lobi turned 16 this year. The zoo provided Lobi and his grandmother Sparky a pair of pumpkin treats for the occasion.
“When we can do a special presentation where the hippos get all that extra special food, it’s just fun for everybody, and it’s fun for us as well,” said Mona Keith, animal care supervisor for African Savannah at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.
Lobi was named after the Lobi people that live near the Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary in Ghana.
The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has sponsored that conservation sanctuary for more than a decade.
The enrichment activity was part of a number of different ones that the zoo put on for animals throughout the weekend, including for the wolves and penguins.
Visitors were encouraged to dress up in animal costumes for the occasion as a way to celebrate Halloween, and to promote species conservation.
“If you noticed, a lot of the guests that were out there and they all had their costumes on,” said Keith.
“It’s really fun to see all the kids come to the zoo and the different costumes”
Photos of hippo treats for Lobi’s birthday
