Big hippo needs big bedding
Published: 29 May 2009
It's not often that a hippo will be friendly towards mankind, though it's certainly not often that one will share a bed with their human family; however, Jessica is one such mammal, though the bedding she needs must be huge.
Sharing a bed with her keepers, one hippo from South Africa is not your standard water-based mammal.The BBC's new children's programme, Deadly 60, saw presenter Steve Backshall visit the southernmost country of the African continent to meet Tonie and Shirley Joubert, a couple who used to work as gamekeepers in the northern province of Limpopo.
Jessica, the only hippo believed to be domesticated in the world, was soon seen ambling into her own den before relaxing on the bedding provided by her own king-size mattress on the floor.
Mr and Mrs Joubert treat Jessica like a family member, making her the only adopted daughter across the globe to weigh several tonnes.
Steve, speaking about his experience in meeting the hippopotamus, said: "In a lifetime working with animals, this is the weirdest thing I've ever seen."
Hippos spend around 16 hours a day submerged in rivers and lakes as a means to keep cool under the hot sun, being able to hold their breath underwater for up to five minutes.
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