A young hippopotamus at Kolkata's Alipore Zoological Garden has been confined to a pool of water in its enclosure for the past fifteen days, displaying a severe departure from its normal behavior. The animal, named Hippo One, is unable to move, likely due to a neurological disorder or a leg injury, and has refused to leave the water even for its night shelter.
Round-the-Clock Medical Vigil
In response to the crisis, the zoo authorities have constituted a five-member medical team that is monitoring the three-and-a-half-year-old male hippo 24 hours a day. The team includes three doctors from the zoo and two from a veterinary hospital in Belgachhia. Zoo director Tripti Sah stated that while the hippo is slowly responding to treatment, a definitive diagnosis is yet to be reached. "At this stage, we cannot say with certainty what it is suffering from — a neurological ailment or a leg injury," she said.
The enclosure, located next to the Lion's Den, has been cordoned off with 'viewcutters' to shield the distressed animal from public view. Officials have decided against forcibly moving the two-tonne creature, fearing a worsening of its condition. This caution stems from a previous attempt to lower the pool's water level for inspection, which led to a deterioration in the hippo's health, prompting an immediate refill.
A History of Tragedy and Hope
Hippo One was brought from Odisha's Nandankanan Zoological Park in September 2024 along with a female companion. Tragically, the female died within days of arrival from an unknown cause. Following this loss, Hippo One showed signs of depression and lost its appetite, becoming less active. It regained normal mobility and eating habits by the second half of 2025, making its sudden behavioral change shortly before Christmas this year particularly alarming for caretakers.
The zoo director revealed they are consulting veterinarians across the country. "It appears to be a rare condition that we have not encountered before. None of the other zoos we consulted reported a similar case. However, we are hopeful about recovery," Tripti Sah affirmed. There are positive signs: the animal has slowly started eating its normal diet, which includes a mix of sweet potato, carrot, green grass, banana, and sugarcane top.
Shadow of a Past Incident
The current situation has revived painful memories of a tragic incident at the Alipore Zoo in August 2024, when a 35-year-old hippo died during a dental procedure for overgrown canines. The zoo currently houses another hippopotamus, a 22-year-old female, in an adjacent enclosure. The dedicated medical team continues its vigil, hoping for Hippo One's full recovery as they navigate this complex and rare medical challenge.
