Zippo on hippo report

2008-02-07

Editorial, Calgary Herald

One dead hippo apparently won't stop the Calgary Zoo from bringing in another hippopotamus for its breeding program, but let the lessons from the tragic fatality be learned for next time.

The inquiry into the death of Hazina, the six-year-old hippo that died en route from Denver to Calgary, reached fairly obvious conclusions one would hope were already among the best practices.

Recommendations such as planning for border-crossing delays, using a non-slippery floor so the animal may stand, visually examining the animal at regular intervals, and ensuring a means of seeing the animal during transport, all go without saying.

The ill-fated October trip took 29 hours instead of the planned 20-hour-transport because of delays at the border.

It doesn't take an expert to conclude animals living primarily in water should be transported in water or by air if the journey is to be longer than 24 hours. The Calgary Zoo says it will act on the recommendations, and points out it was simply following industry standards.

Clearly, industry standards aren't good enough. The problem with animal transportation regulations is they were put in place for domestic animals and adapted for exotic species.

Accidents happen, but this one might have been prevented had the Denver Zoo sent along a keeper knowledgeable about hippos, chosen the more expensive route of air transport or devised some kind of sling support to keep such a heavy beast on her feet.

According to Zoocheck Canada executive director Rob Laidlaw, hippos have been transported since 1850, when they were sent to the London Zoo. That's 158 years of experience for officials to draw upon before forging ahead with plans to bring another hippo to the Calgary Zoo.