Ad
Featured
ABQ BioPark hippo dies shortly after birth of baby hippo
Moe, the 52-year-old male Nile hippo, died on Sunday due to a dental infection.
Published
Modified
The Albuquerque BioPark Zoo announced the death of a hippo on Sunday, just days after his baby was named.
Moe, the 52-year-old Nile hippo, died on Sunday after experiencing a dental disease that caused an infection. Moe’s care team noticed he was not eating very often and learned he had “significant facial swelling,” according to the zoo.
“As we grieve his passing, we reflect on how beloved he was by both guests and staff alike, and the incredible legacy he leaves behind,” the zoo wrote in a news release.
Dental disease is common in elderly animals, so Moe was sedated on Saturday to assess the damage, but the infection was too pronounced, the BioPark wrote in a press release.
“His veterinary team made the compassionate but heartbreaking decision to humanely euthanize him,” the zoo said.
Moe just celebrated his birthday the previous week, far outlasting a hippo’s life expectancy of 36.7 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Moe was the oldest male Nile hippo at a zoo facility, the BioPark said.
The hippo also holds the record for being the oldest hippo to father to a calf. On Oct. 14, Moe and Karen, a female Nile hippo at the zoo, welcomed the newly named Maisy to the world. Moe has three other calf children, including 4-year-old Matilda.
The zoo said Moe “excelled” at fatherhood, often playing with Matilda and letting her rest on his back and cuddling during nap time.
“We are honored to have been able to care for Moe as long as we did, and are eternally thankful for all the joy he brought to countless individuals,” the zoo wrote in a release. “We are also grateful for the awareness he raised for his species, listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.”
